What Happened?
by GNPotter
Summary: Nicolette is ready for her seventh year, she thinks. But what happens one night that changes it? Rated M for later chapters. Please Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

_*obviously the character's are not all mine and I borrowed Nicolette's last name from the movie EverAfter.*_

"Nicolette Danielle, your father and I are waiting. We need to get moving if we're going to make it to King's Cross in time for your train."

Nicolette took one last look around her room before smiling and pulling out her wand and sending her trunk down the stairs as she followed.

"I'm coming mum."

Nicolette was glad that she was finally old enough to use magic outside of Hogwarts, it made life a little easier on her. She was starting her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she was a little nostalgic. She knew seven years ago when she got her letter, that she was embarking on a life changing journey and now that journey was almost over.

Anne Smith and Rebecca Davies, her two best friends for the past seven years would be waiting for her at the train station. They always sat together on the train ride, even after Anne had been made prefect in their fifth year. She was going to miss them next year.

"Nicolette, dear," her mum said as she rounded the corner into the living room. "You can't do that here, you'll get in trouble."

"I told you mum, it's okay now. I am of age in the wizarding world," she reminded her mother as she set the trunk down next to the door. "Although, I suppose that I will have to carry it to the car so the neighbors don't see."

"That was what I meant dear," her mum said with a smile. "You have been using magic here for almost two months now; I remember how old you are. And I even remember how convenient some of that magic is, but we need to get going so you aren't late."

"Mum," she said as she reached for the handle on her trunk to pull it out of the house. "You do realize that I could just apparate there and save time, right?"

"Yes dear. I again remember, but this is important for me. My baby girl is starting her last year at school and even though I can't do the same things that you can, I love you and I want to see you off one last time." Katherine knew that her daughter really just wanted to see her friends and didn't realize what this day was for a parent.

"But mum," Nicolette said as she and her mother went outside to find her father clearing out the car trunk. "I'll be home for Christmas break."

"Nicolette Danielle, stop arguing with your mother," her father said as he extracted himself from within the trunk. "We have already told you that you don't have a choice in the matter, we are taking you to the train station just like we took you your first year. Now give me your trunk and get in the car."

Nicolette smiled at her father and kissed him on the cheek before doing as he said.

"Luc, how is it that she always does what you tell her, but she wants to argue with me," Katherine asked her husband.

"Daddy's girl dear," he said with a wink.

Katherine chuckled at her husband before getting into the front passenger seat of their car.

Luc finished shoving the trunk into the car and shut the lid before he took and deep breathe and went and got in the car to take his daughter to school for the last time.

"Okay," Luc said as they began their three hour drive into London. "Remind us what you have going on this year at school."

"Oh well," Nicolette started. "Most importantly I have NEWTS, my Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, and if I can pass those then I can go into healer training next year."

"And you said a healer is like a doctor, right," Katherine asked.

"Yeah, I can't wait to find out who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is either. And I am sure that Angie and Allie will make me, Anne and Beccs be at every Quidditch game, so we will have a lot to cheer about I am sure."

The three hour trip continued in much the same fashion as the three made their way into London.

"Come on mum," Nicolette said as she followed her father who was pushing the trolley with her trunk on it through the crowded train station.

"Look," her mother said. "There is Mary Ann Wood, and her son. I wonder where Derrick is."

Nicolette looked in the direction that her mother was pointing and tried not to stare at the very cute brunette who was walking with his mother in the same direction they themselves were heading in.

"MARY ANN!"

"Mum," Nicolette said to her mum. "Don't call them over, please," she pleaded with her mother.

"Why not," her mother asked. "I enjoy speaking with Mary Ann. She keeps me updated on your world when you're at school."

"I know but," Nicolette started but stopped as she saw that the woman her mother had beckoned was very close now. "Mrs. Wood, it's nice to see you."

"You too dear," Mary Ann said. "Katherine how are you, ready to send these two off for the last time?"

"I'm not so sure," Katherine responded. "I think that I would prefer Nic to be four again rather than 17, my baby is all grown up."

"I know," Mary Ann said. "Mine too."

"Dear," Luc said. "I know you are glad to see Mary Ann," he nodded a greeting at her before looking back at his wife. "But in order for these two to actually make their train we need to get moving."

"Yes, dear."

The group started moving through the train station again before anyone said anything again. Nicolette glanced at the young man who had been pushing his trolley and walking beside her father. 'He looks even better than I thought he would,' she thought.

"Mary Ann, where is Derrick today?"

"Oh, well he's at work," she responded with a slight look of concern on her face. "I will tell you about it when we get onto the platform."

Katherine just nodded her head. The group was finally approaching the barrier to the platform and needed to be cautious as the station was crowded today.

"Oliver son," her dad said. "You lead the way, we will follow."

"Yes sir," Oliver went through the barrier and the others followed him onto platform 9 3/4.

As Nicolette crossed through the barrier she looked up and met Oliver's blue eyes before quickly looking for her parents.

"Mum," she said as she approached her mother. "I'm going to put my trunk on the train."

"Okay dear, but make sure you come back to say goodbye."

Nicolette nodded her head before she turned to find that Oliver had taken her trunk from the trolley her father was pushing and had put it on his.

"I can do that Oliver," she said.

"It's okay, Stewart owled this morning and said that we were all going to sit together for our last ride anyways, so they're going to the same place," Oliver didn't even glance back at her as he left her standing with their parents while he pushed their trunks onto the Howgarts Express.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"NICOLETTE!"

Nicolette turned around to see her two best friends running down the platform to her; she smiled and ran toward them. The three crashed into each other hugging and giggling.

"How long have you been here?"

"How was your summer?"

"Was that Oliver I just saw you with?"

The three giggled some more before Anne responded for her and Rebecca.

"I got here about 10 minutes ago and Becs got here, maybe five."

"Good," Nicolette said as she looked at her friends.

"Your turn," Rebecca said.

"Oh," Nicolette said. "My summer was good, to long. I've missed you lot."

"Mmmhmmm," Anne responded. "And what about Oliver?"

"Oh," Nicolette said with a blush. "Yeah that was him. He said Stewart told him we were all going to sit together on the train."

"Yeah," Anne said. "I think that it was Suzanne's idea." Anne smirked at the other two. "I think that it's the only way she can make sure she gets to be in the same compartment as Oliver. Why you two like him is beyond me, I mean there is such thing as too much Quidditich you know."

"What," a voice said from behind Nicolette.

She turned around to see Oliver behind her.

"Oh," Rebecca said. "Um, Anne was just saying that she hopes you boys don't talk too much about Quidditch on the ride to school, we may have to find another compartment if you do."

Nicolette mentally thanked Rebecca's save.

"Nicolette," her mother called. "Your father and I need to leave."

Nicolette walked over to her parents, who were still with Oliver's mum.

"I need to go too Oliver," she said. "Come give me a hug."

Nicolette reached her mum and hugged her.

"Mary Ann has told us about some things that are going on," Katherine pulled back to look in her daughters eyes. "Please be careful this year, make sure you write to us. Study hard and…" she trailed off as the goodbye began to get to her. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too mum," Nicolette said as she hugged her mother again before letting go to hug her father. "Daddy," she said quietly.

Luc smiled into his daughters honey colored hair.

"I love you baby," he said holding her tight. "Write to your mother, she worries less when she gets a letter from you." He pulled back and held her face in his hands. "Enjoy this last year at school because, next year you will no longer be a kid. Send Tut if you forgot anything and we will send it back," he hugged her one more time before letting her go.

Katherine took her daughter's hand and squeezed it.

"You should go dear, your friends are waiting for you, and be good."

"Bye mum, dad," Nicolette said as she turned and found that Oliver was waiting a step ahead of her. "Let's go get on the train," she said loud enough for Anne and Rebecca to hear.

The four headed for the train for the last time. As they stepped on the train a shaggy haired blonde teen jumped on behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Please review!**_

"Hey Wood."

"Green," Oliver responded.

"Hey Stewart," Nicolette said as she reached over to give him a hug hello.

"Stewart Green," Anne said putting her hands on her hips. "Since when were you a Holyhead Harpies fan?"

Stewart rolled his eyes.

"Chill woman," he said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. "I told you my cousin Tara was trying out, well she made it. She gave me a shirt for free. I thought that if I wore it today," he said with a smirk before dropping the volume of his voice. "You might want it tonight," he smiled at his girlfriend before planting a kiss on her lips.

"Oi," a voice said from down the corridor that Nicolette couldn't see. "Would you two give it a break and get in here?"

"Yeah," Oliver said as he went past Nicolette and around the corner to where their compartment was. "You had at least better stop before Percy gets here. Rumor has it, our favorite housemate has been made Head Boy."

The group made their way down the hall and into the compartment that was the biggest on the train. It took up most of the last car and comfortably fit all six that were there with space for their five missing classmates.

As Nicolette started to shut the door to the compartment behind her she heard a voice stop her.

"Wait Nicolette," Percy Weasley said. "I need to leave my trunk here while I go to the prefects meeting." Percy stepped into the compartment pulling his trunk in with him and waving his wand at it to make it rise up with the others on the traveling rack above their heads. "Anne come, we have a meeting. Oh," he said not seeing Anne roll her eyes at him. "Do you know who was made the new prefect?"

"Well it wasn't me," Brandon said. "McGonagall wouldn't do that after the Fanged Frisbee incident."

"No you're right," Percy said. "That was very immature of you."

"Thanks," Brandon said with a smile. "I don't think that I will ever be as good as your brothers but I do try."

Percy rolled his eyes at the reference to his twin brothers.

"Hey," James said as he walked through the compartment door. "How's everyone on this wonderful September day?"

There was a chorus of hellos to their friend. As James put his trunk away he tried not to look at Rebecca, whom he had been secretly in love with for the last three years.

"James, were you made prefect," Rebecca asked him.

"Huh," he said shocked that she had spoken to him. "Oh, no it must be Sean. I think that I saw him arrive just after I did." James sat on the empty bench across from Rebecca.

"All right," Percy said. "Anne and I will go and find him. Come on Anne," Percy beckoned as he headed out the compartment door.

Anne rolled her eyes at Percy again as she kissed Stewart on the check before following Percy out the door.

"We need to get that boy laid this year," Brandon said after Percy and Anne were gone. "He might lighten up."

"Brandon! You shouldn't talk like that," Nicolette said.

"Come on Nic, you have agree, he acts like a giant prat all of the time. Who do you girls know that you can set him up with?" 

"Stewart," Rebecca said. "There is no one that I would want to be that mean too, except maybe … Suzanne," Rebecca greeted the girl who walked through the door and gave Nicolette a look that said she hoped the girl had not heard what they were talking about.

The girl smiled and looked around the compartment.

"Oliver! Could you be a dear, my trunk is sooo heavy and I can't carry it, could you help me with it?"

"Suzanne," Nicolette said. "Why don't you just use your wand? You are of age."

"Right well…" Suzanne said trying to think quickly. "Um, my mum said that if you use magic too much that you could wear out your magical supply."

"Here," Brandon said as he reached for his wand. "I'm not worried about my magical supply, _Accio._"

Suzanne's disappointment was evident on her face.

"Thanks," she said dejectedly.

"Thanks," Oliver whispered to Brandon.

As the group began to find seats, Oliver whispered a question to Nicolette.

"Hey can I sit there, between you and the window? I really don't want to give Suzanne the chance."

Nicolette nodded and made room for Oliver beside her.

"Why don't you just tell her you aren't interested," she asked him.

"I have," he told her. "She sent me an owl everyday this summer. My mum was convinced I had a girlfriend and didn't tell her." Oliver rolled his eyes as he looked down at Nicolette. "I told her I didn't have a girlfriend, but I have a stalker that I would love to get rid of."

"Well," Nicolette said thoughtfully. "If you had a girlfriend she might back off, though she isn't exceptionally bright."

"That was my father's suggestion," he said with a smirk.

"By the way," Nicolette said. "Where was your father today, he is always with you and your mother, I was surprised that he wasn't here."

"Oh," Oliver said. "Well, he has been busy with work since Black escaped. He and his partner were tasked with trying to locate him. Mum is worried, and I am sure that she told your parents, so you may want to try and reassure them that you're safe at Hogwarts."

"Oh," Nicolette said. She had a subscription to the Daily Prophet for when she was at home so she had heard about the escape from Azkaban but had chosen to not tell her parents.

"Oliver," Suzanne said as she sauntered over to Nicolette and Oliver. "I thought you might sit with me today," she said with a pout.

"Sorry," he said as he put an arm around Nicolette. "Nikki and I need to hang out," he looked down at Nicolette trying to get her help. "She is a little concerned about the Black thing."

"Oh," Nicolette said. "Right, I just don't know what to do, I mean he could kill us all," she said dramatically. Oliver squeezed her shoulder trying to get her to not over do it.

"I know," Suzanne said. "We aren't safe anywhere, he's worse than you-know-who."

"Right," Brandon laughed from behind her. "You're crazy if you really think that Suzanne."

Brandon slid past Suzanne and sat down on Nicolette's vacant side.

"Scared dear," Brandon said as he reached for Nicolette's hand. "Brandon will save you."

"Thanks Brandon," Nicolette said. "I think I will feel safe with both you and Oliver," she smiled at her friend. "Protect me from the bad man please."

Suzanne realized that the three were teasing her and huffed before turning around and taking a seat next to James, who rolled his eyes at her.

"Thanks," Oliver said as he pulled his arm from around Nicolette.

"I wonder where Lacey is," Rebecca asked the compartment.

"There she is," Brandon said as he pointed out the window next to Oliver. "She appears to be running late, again." The friends in the compartment looked out at their friend who was rushing to catch the train.

"It wouldn't be Lacey if she wasn't running late," Nicolette said.

"Hey," Lacey said as she rushed into the compartment. "I can't believe I made it," they heard they train whistle for the last call.

"Just barely love," Brandon said as he stood and gave his girlfriend a kiss and wrapped his arms around her.

"LA, how was your summer," Rebecca asked as she slid down the seat to be next to Nicolette.

"Good," Lacey responded, separating from Brandon to sit across from Oliver next to the window. "How about you lot, have a good break?"

Everyone either nodded or verbally confirmed her answer.

"Where is Sean," she asked. "I was sure he would beat me here."

"I'm sure that he did love," Brandon responded from the seat next to her that he had taken. "We think that he may have been made the new prefect since Percy was made Head Boy." 

"Oh great," she responded. "Like he wasn't already a giant prat," she rolled her eyes. "What did we did we do for Dumbledore to punish us like that?"

Oliver looked out the window of the compartment as the train started. He didn't pay attention to the conversations going on around him, he thought about the girl sitting next to him. He had known her for seven years now and loved her since he first laid eyes on her. But she only thought of him as a friend.

"Oliver! Oliver!"

He was pulled from his thoughts by a voice in the compartment doorway.

"Angelina," he said looking up at his teammate. "Did you get any practice in this summer?"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, we did but that's not why I'm here. The twins said a little while ago that they were going to find you, I was just wondering if you had seen them?"

"Oh," he said. "No, but we should find them and the rest of the team so we can have a meeting."

"No," she said as she closed the door and left.

"You know I think that you make them focus too hard on Quidditch Oliver," Percy said.

"When did you get back," Oliver asked him. Oliver noticed that Anne and Sean were there as well.

"We got back about 20 minutes ago," Anne said. "You have been lost in thought over there a while huh? What's going on?"

Oliver tried his best to keep his eyes averted from the blonde next to him.

"Oh," he said nervously. "Just thinking about some Quidditch moves I want to teach the team."

"Um hum," Brandon knew that his best friend was not thinking about Quidditch, but Oliver had yet to admit to him who it was he thought about even though Brandon had a pretty good guess.

As the train traveled on the group kept a steady stream of conversation going. About two hours outside London Oliver felt a head land against his shoulder and looked to see that Nicolette had fallen asleep against him. He fell asleep shortly after with his head leaned against hers.

Anne watched the two as in their sleep they showed the affection for each other that they were both scared to show when they were awake. Anne knew how Nicolette felt. Being her best friend they told each other everything including crushes. Nicolette was scared that Oliver loved Quidditch too much and would never see how she felt for him. And Anne knew how Oliver felt because she could see it in his eyes every time he looked at Nicolette.

The weather outside the train had gotten dark and rainy and the friends gathered in the compartment were all drifting in and out of sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

***SPECIAL TREAT TODAY – AN EXTRA CHAPTER****Ps – don't expect this often.

Oliver had woken a few moments ago to find that while asleep he and Nicolette were holding hands. He didn't move or let go of her. He was afraid that if she woke his dream would fade. He relished in their closeness.

Rebecca was sitting with her head leaned back. She was quietly watching her friends in the compartment with her. Percy had left a little while ago mumbling something about Penny, she was pretty sure they started going out sometime last year but Percy was pretty private. Across from her, James was sitting between Suzanne and Brandon. He appeared to be reading a book but she didn't know what it was. Brandon and Lacey were sleeping in each other's arms in the corner by the window and in the corner by the door, Anne and Stewart were doing the same. Sean was stretched out on the bench on one side of Rebecca and on the other, was Nicolette and Oliver. She thought that she had seen them holding hands but when she lifted her head she couldn't tell for sure.

She looked back across the compartment at James, wishing she could find the words to tell him how she felt. For a year she had watched him, he had dated a couple girls in Ravenclaw and one from Hufflepuff. But he had never looked twice at her. They were friends and nothing more. James only saw her as a friend and it hurt her heart to know that. She reached up and quickly wiped the tear that had started to fall as she felt the train begin to slow.

"What's going on," James asked as he sat up a little straighter.

Nicolette felt her head lurch forward and off of the pillow it had been lying on.

"What happened," she said, still a little groggy as she realized that she was holding Oliver's hand and let it go quickly. 'Oops' she thought.

Stewart stood up from where he was sitting by the door to the compartment and looked out into the hall seeing that others down the hall were doing the same. He turned back into the compartment before speaking.

"I don't think anyone else knows what's going on either," he sat back down next to Anne as the lights went out.

Nicolette was scared, she reached out for the hand she had dropped moments before and found it as she turned her head to the person next to her and couldn't see him in the dark.

"I think there is something outside," Lacey said from her seat across from Oliver. "I can't tell very well but something is moving out there."

Nicolette looked at the person next to her again as her eyes began to adjust to the light around her.

"Oliver," she whispered. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," he said. "Dad said they were going to try and send us some protection, and now I wish I knew what it was."

They all jumped as something thumped against the door.

"Anne," they heard a small scared voice call from the other side of the door.

"Amber," Anne said as she jumped up and pulled the door open. "Hey," she said as the younger girl scrambled into the compartment. "It's okay now. We'll protect you sweetie," she pulled her little sister onto the bench with her as Stewart stood to shut the door.

The eleven people sat in silence trying to hear anything past the worried sounds coming from other compartments. Nicolette thought that she could hear heavy breathing, but wasn't sure. Oliver squeezed her hand a little as he whispered in her ear.

"I think we're going to need that party that the twins throw tonight."

She looked at him and gave a small smile before looking back at the door as it slid open.

In the shadows of the doorway was a large cloaked figure, they couldn't see its face. Nicolette gave an involuntary shiver as she felt the room's temperature change. The figure stayed in the doorway a moment before moving on down the hall.

"What was that," Amber whispered to Anne, though everyone in the compartment heard.

"A dementor," Oliver said. "They guard Azkaban."

The compartment remained silent for a few more minutes before the lights came back on.

"Is it over," Nicolette asked.

"Yeah," Oliver said squeezing her hand again as he looked out the window. "They're getting off the train; we'll probably start moving soon." No sooner had the last word left his mouth before the train gave another lurch and began moving again. Oliver stood up letting go of Nicolette's hand and moved to the door of the compartment to look outside. "My dad said that the new Defense teacher was going to be on the train today, so the younger kids should be fine." He turned around and kneeled in front of Amber. "Munchkin, are you okay?"

"Yeah Ollie," Amber said. "I'm just glad that Anne was here. I was scared."

"I know," he responded as he stood. "We're fine now," he said as he looked around at the worried faces of his friends. He tried not to look at Nicolette's, he knew since she was a muggleborn she was probably the most scared out of all of them.

"Nic," Rebecca said as she turned to her friend. "Hey you're hurting my hand." She tried to pull her hand away from Nicolette who was beginning to panic.

Brandon moved from Lacey's side to sit next to Nicolette, pulling her into his arms.

"Nic," he said trying to soothe her. "It's okay, they have left. We'll be at the school soon." He was patting her on the back looking at their friends. "Does anyone have a piece of chocolate?"

"I do," Suzanne said. "But I was saving it."

"Give me the damn chocolate Suzanne," Oliver said as he stepped in front of her. "If it is a big deal I will buy you more at the next Hogsmead visit."

Suzanne reached into the bag on the bench next to her and pulled out a bar of Honeyduke's chocolate.

"Fine," she said as she handed it to Oliver.

Oliver unwrapped and broke off a piece of the chocolate and gave it to Brandon and sat on the edge of the seat Brandon had vacated next to Lacey.

"Nic," Brandon said as he pulled away from the crying girl. "Here eat this, it will help."

Nicolette took the piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth and began to feel a little better. She took the tissue that Rebecca offered her and wiped her face.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be sorry," Oliver said. "You've only heard about them from books, you didn't know what was going on."

Brandon stood so that he and Oliver could change seats back.

"Here," Oliver said. "Eat the rest of this, it will help," he said as he handed the bar of chocolate to Nicolette. He heard Suzanne huff across the compartment and he threw her a dirty look.

"We should probably get changed," Anne said. "It won't be long before we arrive at school.

The group put their school robes on and settled back down in their seats. Nicolette was still shaking from the dementor.

"We're okay," Oliver whispered to her as he patted her on the leg. He pulled his hand back and clasped his hands in his lap so that he didn't reach out to hold her.

The train came to a stop at Hogsmead station about ten minutes later and the group of Gryffindors filed off together. Anne led Amber over to Hagrid and told her that she would see her inside. Then the group, who was joined by Percy and Penny, piled into three carriages to go to the castle.

At the castle Nicolette sat down at their table next to Rebecca.

"Hey," Nicolette said softly. "I'm sorry about your hand."

"Don't worry," Rebecca said. "I was scared too. I just didn't know what to say to make you feel better." She smirked at Nicolette. "Though it seems Oliver was worried about you," she said softly.

"Shut up," Nicolette said.

"What," Oliver said as he took a seat across from Nicolette and Rebecca.

"Nothing," Rebecca said as she smiled at Nicolette. "Nic was just apologizing for the train again."

"Nikki," Oliver said. "I thought I told you not to, we were all scared. Someone said that Potter fainted when the dementor came to their compartment, so everyone was freaked out."

The group was quiet while the first years came in with Professor Flitwick and were sorted into their houses. Gryffindor attained 12 new students, one of which was Amber Smith, Anne's sister. After Professor McGonagall arrived and took her seat, Dumbledore gave his speech.

The news he shared with them made Nicolette very nervous. She didn't know how she was going to deal with the dementors if they were going to be at Hogwarts for the entire school year. As she picked at her dinner, she thought about everything she had learned about them in Defense class, which wasn't a whole lot. Lockhart may have been very attractive but she didn't learn anything from him.

"Nic," Anne said.

Nicolette looked up at her voice.

"The feast is over, did you not eat anything?"

"Oh," Nicolette stood before responding. "Um, I ate some." She looked back up at Anne. "I just don't feel very well."

"Well," Fred said as he came up behind her. "I think that George and I can help you out once we get to the common room."

"Yeah Nic," George said. "Come on, my prat of a brother gave us the password already so we're good to go."

Nicolette followed the Weasley twins and Anne through the castle and up to the Gryffindor common room. The rest of her friends were following with her.

As they entered the common room, Percy began making sure the younger students went right up to their dorms.

Nicolette walked over and sat on the hearth of the unlit fireplace. She was trying to keep her nerves under control.

"Here," Brandon walked up to her and handing her a bottle. "Drink it, you'll feel better."

Nicolette looked up as Brandon sat next to her. She saw that he was offering her a bottle of firewhiskey.

"I don't know," she said skeptically. "Don't you think that will make it worse?"

"Only if you drink too much," he said.

She took the bottle from him and took a sip and scrunching her face at the burning path it made.

"Brandon," Lacey called from the other side of the room.

"My love calls," he said as he stood up. "Relax Nic, it won't be so bad. We are all here for you," he said as he leaned down and gave her a hug.

Nicolette sat there watching the 7th, 6th, and 5th year students spend time with each other, catching up on events over the summer and making each other laugh. This was her favorite night of her 6th year and this year she just couldn't be motivated to enjoy it.

"Hey Nikki," Oliver said from next to her. He too had a bottle of firewhiskey in his hand. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not so much," she said. "Hey, why do you call me Nikki? Not that I mind, it's just that everyone else either calls me Nicolette or Nic, you're the only one who calls me Nikki."

"Oh," he said as he sat on the hearth next to her. "I don't know. I guess I just like Nikki and I think that it fits you. If it bothers you I can stop."

"Oh, no," she said. "My dad called me that sometimes when I was little but he was the only one and he didn't do it often."

The two sat in silence for a little while drinking their drinks and watching the activities going on around them, Oliver was glad to have some one on one time with her.

"How are you feeling," he asked quietly.

"Better since Brandon gave me this," she said. "Would you think me weird if I said that I'm in the mood to dance?"

"No," he said with a smirk. "Judging by what the girls say, you lot do a lot of dancing in your room when you can't sleep."

"Who told you that," she asked. "Someone is giving away our secrets." She smiled at their banter. "It's a stress reliever for me. My mum taught me how much fun it was to dance to Diana Ross and the Supremes when my dad was away on business before I came here."

"Hey Weasley," Oliver hollered getting the attention of the Weasley twin who was near him. "You two have any music we can listen too?"

"Always," he said with a devious smile and with a flick of his wand there was music flowing across the room.

"Show me Deloncre," Oliver said with a smile. "Show me how you dance."

Nicolette stood up feeling more relaxed by the firewhiskey than she did minutes ago.

"Anne, Becs," she beckoned for her friends to join her.

The three each finished off the bottles they had in their hands before setting them down and turning to each other and jumping around to the music. The three paid no attention to those around them and let loose and soon followed by Lacey and Suzanne who were use to this behavior. Angelina and Alicia joined them too and soon the entire common room was jumping around and singing to the Weird Sisters' music that was playing.

As the evening wore on there was more dancing and drinking. The Butterbeers and Firewhiskey that Fred and George had acquired was put to good use.

Around midnight students began making their way up the stairs. Oliver noticed that Nicolette was still dancing in the corner to the slow music that it had been changed too.

"Hey," he called to her. "Need a partner?"

"Sure," she said.

Oliver set his bottle on a table and walked up in front of her and put his arms around her waist as she rested hers on his shoulder.

"You seem a lil' more laxed," he slurred.

"Hum," she said as she closed her eyes and laid her head on Oliver shoulder. "I think it's the booze."

"Yeah," Oliver said as he pulled her closer and looked around the common room noticing they were the only ones left. "Maybe we should call it a night?"

"Yeah."


	4. Chapter 4

_***This one is much longer than I intended it to be but there really wasn't a good place to break it without interrupting flowing conversation. I may be enjoying writing this too much._

As Stewart stepped on the bottom stair he noticed that the common room was a mess. He flicked his wand mumbling an incantation to clean it up; they could not have McGonagall finding out about last night.

He walked around the couch to sit in one of the chairs by the fireplace and stopped in his tracks. He was seeing a lot more of two of his classmates than he wanted to see.

Oliver and Nicolette were lying on the couch together with their clothes on the floor in front of them.

Trying to not see anything Stewart waved his wand again, this time saying the incantation to put their clothes on them. Since neither Oliver nor Nicolette moved at this, he stepped forward and tapped Oliver on the shoulder.

"Oliver, mate wake up."

Oliver wasn't sure which of his roommates was trying to wake him from the amazing dream he was having but they were in for it.

"Go away," Oliver said before he tried to roll over, away from the person trying to wake him. He found there was something that was on top of him keeping him in place though. He opened his eyes and looked at his chest to find honey blonde hair.

"What the hell," he said softly. He looked up and found Stewart standing next to him.

"Look mate," Stewart started to explain. "I just found you two and took the liberty of magicing your clothes back on before anyone else came down."

Oliver's eyes grew large at the implication of Stewart's words.

"Oh Merlin," he said. "My head is killing me," said closing his eyes. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Stewart said softly. "Last I remember you and Nic were dancing as I went up stairs. But mate, people will start getting up, you should probably not be here in your clothes from last night when people come down."

"No," Oliver said. "You're right. Nikki," he said as he gently shook the girl lying on his chest. "Nikki, we have to wake up."

Stewart slipped back up the stairs to his dorm to try and not embarrass Nicolette more than she would already be.

"Nikki," Oliver tried again. "Come on, people will be coming down soon."

"Ummm," Nicolette grumbled. "I want to sleep a little bit longer please. It's so warm and comfortable here," she said as she snuggled in closer to Oliver.

"I would enjoy that too Nikki," Oliver said. "But we can't," he felt Nicolette stiffen at his voice this time.

"Oliver," she said tentatively.

"Yeah."

She looked up at his face before jumping up and getting off him and the couch.

"Oh dear Merlin," she said as she tried to sit back down, not knowing what was bothering her more her head or the ache between her legs.

"What is it," he said, knowing that something else was wrong. He sat up and looked at her.

"What happened," she asked as she looked him in the eyes.

"Well," he said slowly. "I don't really remember but I have a pretty good suspicion, since Stewart found us, without our clothes on."

"Oh God," she said afraid that she could die from embarrassment. "Stewart?"

"Yeah," Oliver said. "But he won't tell anyone."

"I can't believe this happened."

"Well," he said. "I'm not really sure what happened."

"I am," she said as she looked up and gave him a hateful look. "I have never in my life been this sore."

"Oh," he said. "Well maybe when we go down to breakfast you can get a cup of coffee and that will help, my head is killing me too."

"It's not my head you oaf," she said as she stood up and stormed over to the girls stairs. "We had sex," she told him before running up the stairs to her dorm.

The tears were falling before she had reached her dorm. She opened the door and saw that all of her roommates were still in bed. She walked over to her trunk and pulled out fresh clothes and went into the bathroom for a shower.

She wasn't sure how long she stood under the hot water crying. She had just lost her virginity to the person she loved and she knew two things for certain. One – she couldn't remember any of it and two – he didn't love her. How was she ever going to face him again?

"Nic," she heard Anne calling from the door. "Are you okay? I thought I heard you crying."

Nicolette tried to swallow her emotion before responding.

"I'm fine," she said. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay," Anne replied walking back out of the bathroom.

Nicolette knew that she had to get out fast before her roommates knew something was wrong.

"Hey Nic," Rebecca said as she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth at one of the sinks. "How are you feeling? Lacey said that Brandon brought some hangover potions incase this happened. Do you need one?"

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "I think that would help."

"Okay," Rebecca pushed the door to the bathroom open as Nicolette turned off the water. "Hey LA, Nic wants one too."

Nicolette tried to not cry but the tears were coming anyways. She got dressed and sat on the bench in the dressing stall. All she was doing was wiping her face of the tears.

"Oh God," she whispered as a new flood of tears fell.

"Nic," Rebecca said. "Love, what's wrong?" Rebecca stepped up to the door that Nicolette was behind. "Are you okay?" She peeked through the crack separating the door and the wall to see Nicolette sitting with her face hidden in her towel. "Let me in, please. Nic come on, let me help." Rebecca pleaded with her friend. "Fine, I'm going to get Anne," Rebecca opened the door to the bathroom and called for Anne. "Could you help me with something?"

Anne came through the door to the bathroom and Rebecca shut it behind her.

"I can't get Nicolette to come out of the stall."

Anne turned to the stall that was closed.

"Nic, what's wrong?" She knocked on the door. "Come on it's just me and Becs, let us in, whatever it is we can help."

"No," Nicolette finally responded. "You can't help, no one can." She stood and opened the door to her two best friends. "I don't know what happened," she slumped down on the floor crying. How did she end up here? Anne and Rebecca rushed to their friend, Anne climbed behind her to hold her and Rebecca sat in front of her pulling her close.

The three friends sat like that while Nicolette tried to stem her emotions. Anne and Rebecca tried to soothe their friend's tears.

"Nic," Anne said. "Can you tell us what's wrong?"

"Not now," she said quietly as she shook her head no. "I'm not ready to talk about it but thank you for being here."

"What kind of best friends would we be if we weren't here for you," Rebecca asked.

"Come on," Anne said. "Lacey left those potions for us in the room, and I don't know about you but I really need mine."

The three girls got up and helped Nicolette collect her things and went into the dorm room.

Anne downed her hangover potion, shook the fuzzy out of her head and sighed.

"Now," Rebecca said as she did the same. "I want my breakfast, anyone else interested?"

"I am," Anne said. "Come one Nic, we don't know what's wrong but we won't let anyone near you. Let's go get something to eat."

Nicolette took her potion and knew that after the scene in the bathroom that her friends weren't going to take no for an answer, she just wasn't sure how she was going to face Oliver.

"Stewart is waiting for me in the common room, I'm sure," Anne said.

Nicolette froze, she had forgotten about Stewart.

"What is it," Rebecca asked noticing Nicolette's reaction. "Do you not want to see Stewart?"

"No," Nicolette said. "It's fine," she knew this was one fear that she was going to have to face.

The three girls headed down the stairs to the common room.

"Morning dear," Stewart said as he kissed Anne on the cheek.

"Morning," she replied. "Sorry we're late."

"It's okay," he said. "Oliver wanted me to wait for him. He'll be down in a minute."

Nicolette looked at Rebecca and tried to convey with her eyes that they needed to go.

"Well," Nicolette said. "I'm going to go on down."

"Nic," Stewart said to her. "Oliver wanted me to get you to wait for him."

"I'm sorry Stewart," she said as she continued on to the portrait hole. "I'm not waiting for him. And Stewart," she said as she turned to face him. "Thanks."

He nodded at her as Rebecca followed her out of the common room. He turned around to face his girlfriend whose hands were on her hips.

"You know what's wrong with her?"

"I may have an idea," he said. "But I won't tell you. She's my friend and if she didn't tell you then it is not my place too."

"Stewart Green," Anne said. "If you know what's good for you, you will tell me what happened to my best friend. I have never seen her like she is right now and I don't know how to help her. She won't tell me what's wrong, so you must."

"It's my fault," Oliver said from behind her. "Unintentionally, I hurt her. I can't tell you how, that's for her to tell you but, would you tell her I am sorry."

"Oh," Anne said. "Well," she thought about what to say. "No, I won't tell her you're sorry. Since I don't know what happened, I don't know if sorry is what she needs to hear and I won't make it worse."

"I understand," he said. "But please don't be mad at Stewart, he's just being a good friend to us both."

Anne looked at Stewart contemplating her answer.

"Okay," she said. "I won't be mad at him, but Nic needs me right now, so you're going to have to take second place for a little while."

"That's fine," Stewart said. "As long as I have a place."

Anne stepped to him and kissed him.

"Look," she said. "I must go, but Oliver you need to try and fix whatever happened. I don't want to spend my seventh year having to ignore my boyfriend and his best friend."

"I'll try Anne," Oliver said. "But that may prove to be difficult."

Anne left the boys in the common room and made her way through the castle to the great hall.

"Sorry I'm late," she said as she sat down next to Nicolette.

"Please don't be mad at Stewart," Nicolette pleaded.

"I'm not," Anne replied as she piled food on her plate. "Oliver came down."

"Oh," Nicolette looked down at the food Rebecca had put on a plate for her. "I suppose he told you what happened."

"No, he refused as well. They said that it wasn't their place to tell me, if you wanted me to know you would tell me yourself."

Nicolette knew that she would end up telling Anne and Rebecca but she was still very embarrassed.

She noticed Stewart and Oliver come into the Hall and sit down near the end of the table. As Oliver reached for the plate of kippers he glanced down the table at her and offered an apologetic smile. She looked away before she started to cry again.

"We had sex," she whispered.

"Oh dear Merlin," Rebecca said.

Anne was shocked into silence.

"We had too much firewhiskey, neither of us remembers anything."

"So," Rebecca said hopefully. "You could be wrong, maybe it didn't happen."

"No, no," Nicolette said as she laid her head on down on the table. "Trust me, it happened."

"But," Rebecca started to argue.

"Becs," Anne finally found her voice. "Enough, if she says it happened believe her, she knows."

Nicolette looked up at Anne and caught her eye. She saw the answer to her unasked question in her friend's eyes.

"Merlin Anne," Nicolette said as she reached to hug Anne. "When?"

"Last year," she said trying not to cry. "With Mark Whitfield, I didn't really want to but was scared to say no. I didn't want him to break up with me. Stewart found me afterwards and we talked and the rest is, as they say, history."

"Oh Merlin," Rebecca said.

"Why didn't you tell us," Nicolette asked.

"I was afraid," Anne said. "I didn't want you to think less of me for giving in."

"I could never think less of you," Nicolette told her. "I love you, we're best friends and I will accept you no matter what."

"Why do I feel left out of this little issue," Rebecca asked.

"Because you won't tell James how you feel," Anne whispered across Nicolette.

"ANNE," Rebecca hissed as she looked around to see if anyone heard.

"Oh," Nicolette said distracting the girls from an argument. "Here come McGonagall with the schedules. Good morning Professor," she said.

"Morning girls," McGonagall said as she handed them their class schedules. "I will see you lot this afternoon."

"See you then," they said.

The looked down at their schedules, they knew they would have some classes together so they compared first to see when they would be together in class before analyzing the rest of their schedules.

"Looks like Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense, though I have Muggle Studies with Becs and Herbology with you," Anne said as she leaned toward Nicolette.

"Good," Nicolette said quietly. "I can partner with one of you two rather than Oliver."

Anne and Rebecca exchanged a glance across their friend.

"So," James said as he sat down in front on Nicolette. "What do we have first Nic?"

James and Nicolette were both taking the classes so they could go into St. Mungo's Healer Training program at the end of the year.

"Transfiguration."

"James," Rebecca said softly. "Why are you sitting down here?"

"I thought we all sat together for breakfast every morning," he said looking at the three girls in front of him.

"Not any more," Nicolette said. "You can stay but the other guys are at the end of the table."

James leaned forward and saw Stewart and Oliver sitting down at the other end of the table as they were joined by Brandon and Lacey.

"Why aren't they sitting with you," he asked looking back at the girls. "Anne, did you and Stewart break-up?"

"Oh, no," Anne said.

"It's me," Nicolette said. "I won't sit with… Oliver. But you can sit where ever you want." She looked at Anne realizing that her friend was making a very big sacrifice for her. "You should too Anne. You should be sitting with Stewart, I'm sorry."

"Stop," Anne said trying to make Nicolette's guilt fizzle out. "I want to be with you today, and Stewart understands. Trust me, after me and last year. He will be the most understanding of all of us. He listened to me; he knows how you're feeling."

"No Anne," Nicolette smirked. "He listened to you because he has been in love with you since 2nd year."

Anne blushed and gave her friend a coy smile.

"Now," Nicolette said. "If we could get Becs set up then we'll be good."

Rebecca blushed furiously, while James tried to appear unemotional about the conversation.

Anne couldn't help but smirk at her two friend's avoidance.

"I know," Anne said. "We could set her up with Roger's friend, what's his name, Cormac. I know he is like a year younger but he is cute."

"Excuse me?"

Anne looked up at the voice to see that Stewart had walked up behind James. She winked at him.

"Yeah," she said. "Don't you think that he would be good for Rebecca?"

"Pardon me," James said as he stood. "Oliver is waiting for me."

"Oh James," Anne said with a smile. She knew how uncomfortable she was making him. "We have Muggle Studies first, wait up and Becs and I will come with you." James nodded his head but continued up the table to where Oliver stood waiting. "Oh Nic, are you going to be okay by yourself? I could skip, make Rebecca keep James company during class."

"Anne," Rebecca said threw clenched teeth. "I will kill you if you don't stop."

"I'll be fine," Nicolette said. "Becs chill, he likes you. Let Anne pressure him a little."

Rebecca stomped down the aisle between tables fuming at her two best friends.

Anne chuckled and followed her after blowing a kiss at Stewart.

"Can I sit with you," he asked Nicolette.

"Yeah," she said. "Though I don't know why I'm still here, I'm not hungry."

Stewart sat for a moment trying to figure out what to say to her. He wasn't sure what all happened between her and Oliver. But Oliver was sad this morning.

"Are you okay," he finally settled on.

She shrugged her shoulders before responding.

"I don't know. This is defiantly not how I expected to start my first day of my seventh year. I mean Oliver is, well was my friend and I can't look at him now."

"Yeah," he said. "But you aren't going to let this ruin your friendship, are you?"

"I don't know Stewart," she was playing with the food on her plate again. "I know this may be more information than you want to know, but I like him." She looked up at him. "I have for a while now, and I don't think that I could be near him without feeling heart broken."

"I understand," Stewart said. "But whatever happened last night had to have happened because of feelings you both have, right?"

"I don't know Stewart," she said. "We had a lot to drink."

He knew how Oliver felt, but he couldn't tell her what his best friend had told him in confidence. Neither one of them thought that the other would ever feel the same way, so neither one wanted to let their feelings evident to the other.

"Why don't we go back to the common room, we don't have any classes until after lunch."

Nicolette nodded her consent and followed him out the Great Hall and up to the Gryffindor common room.


	5. Chapter 5

As Nicolette and Stewart settled on the couch in the quiet common room, Stewart tried to change Nicolette's mood.

"So," he said. "What did you do this summer? Didn't you say last year that your parents were planning a trip to the states?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile as she remembered the trip with her parents. "My mum's sister moved there last year and we went to visit them."

"What'd you do?"

"Well, they moved to Florida so we spent most of the time at the beach but we took a couple of days and went to Disney World and Universal Studios."

"Where is that?"

"Oh," she said. "Not that far from where my aunt lives. We had so much fun."

"Yeah, but what did you do?" Stewart was raised by his wizard parents in England and had no idea what she was talking about.

"Stewart? Do you know what Disney is?"

"No."

"Oh gessh! Where to start…" Nicolette spent the next hour telling Stewart all about Disney, Disney World and Universal Studios.

As they were laughing at one of her stories about the crazy bus drivers at Disney, the portrait door opened letting in some sixth years that had a break before lunch.

"I guess the others will be coming back from Muggle Studies soon," Nicolette said. "I wonder what they have next."

"Oliver has a free period," Stewart told her. "I don't know who all is coming with him, but he told me he would meet me here when class was over."

"Well then," Nicolette said as she stood. "I should probably go up to my dorm. If Anne..." Nicolette stopped speaking as the portrait door swung open letting in Anne, Oliver, James, and Lacey.

"What about me," Anne asked.

"I was just going to get Stewart to make you stay down here."

"Where are you going," Oliver asked softly.

Nicolette glanced at him quickly before turning and heading for the stairs.

"No, Nikki." Oliver said trying to stop her. "Look, you stay down here I'll leave, I need to go over the training schedule for my team anyways." Oliver walked through the common room and past Nicolette, going up the stairs to the boy's dorm.

Lacey leaned over to James before doing her best impression of a stage whisper of her question.

"Did I miss something?"

"No," Nicolette said starting back up the stairs for her dorm.

"Yes," Anne said as she followed her friend. "Come on LA maybe you can help."

Lacey followed the two girls up the stairs while James went to sit with Stewart.

As Lacey entered her dorm room she saw Nicolette sitting on her bed and Anne was just climbing up to sit next to her.

"Hey," Lacey said as she stepped up next to the foot of the bed.

"Join us," Nicolette said motioning for Lacey to sit on the end of the bed.

"So," Lacey said once she got settled. "What's going on?"

"It's a long story."

"Well," Lacey said. "It appears the gist is that you aren't speaking to Oliver."

"No."

"What happened Nic," Lacey asked. "I know that I'm not Becca or Anne, but I want to help."

"We just need to be here for her," Anne answered for Nicolette. Anne pulled her friend into a side hug on the bed. "Everything is going to be fine; right now Nic just needs us to be here."

Lacey patted Nicolette's leg.

"I'll always be here for you," Lacey told her. "I'll even listen if you need to talk."

"Thanks," Nicolette said.

"So," Anne said changing the subject. "What have you done all morning while we were in class?"

Nicolette smiled and sat up.

"Made your boyfriend laugh."

"What," Anne said in mock anger.

"I just told him about visiting my aunt in the states. It was good, I needed to laugh."

"Good," Anne said. "As long as you realize that he's mine."

"Where's Suzanne," Lacey asked.

"I don't know," Nicolette said. "I haven't seen her awake all morning."

"Stupid Prat," they heard someone yell just before the door to their dorm was thrown open.

"Suzanne," Lacey asked.

"What," Suzanne snapped as she stormed over to her bed.

"Is everything alright?"

"No Lacey," she said with biting anger. "Everything is not alright, Oliver is a stupid prat."

Anne and Nicolette exchanged glances.

"That seems to be the general opinion today," Lacey said. "Nics not happy with him either."

"Why," Suzanne asked. "Did he tell you to kiss off too?"

"Why did he tell you that," Nicolette asked.

"BECAUSE HE IS A STUPID PRAT!"

"Okay," Anne said. She needed to get Suzanne to calm down before the whole castle knew something was amiss. "Tell us what happened."

Suzanne began to pace and Nicolette couldn't help but notice how short her skirt was, the slut.

"Well," she said. "I missed breakfast this morning, so I went to wait in his dorm so that I could talk to him. I wanted to tell him how I felt about him so that, you know he could ask me out. But apparently he had class so he just came back a few minutes ago. I accidentally feel asleep on his bed and he found me. Instead of being nice and waking me up gently he started throwing things at me-"

"Wait," Nicolette said sitting forward on the bed. "He started throwing things AT you?"

"Well," Suzanne paused. "Maybe it wasn't specifically AT me, but it was close enough. Anyways, not the point. So OBVIOUSLY he woke me up and I started trying to talk to him about us and he just got mean. He said there was no us, there never would be an us and I needed to see that. I mean he is SO MEAN, he won't even give us a chance."

"I have to get out of here," Nicolette said as she rushed off her bed and to the door, Anne was hot on her heels.

"Hey," Anne was trying to get her to slow down. "Nic wait," Nicolette turned to look at Anne. Anne could see the tears in her eye. "Go to the lake, I'll go back and get our stuff for Transfiguration and meet you there, okay."

Nicolette just nodded and left her friend without looking back. As she got to the bottom of the stairs she saw that James and Stewart were no longer in the room so she went on through to the portrait and down through the castle.

'What a bitch,' she thought. 'Oliver had only been trying to tell her that for the last 2 and a half years. The bitch never seemed to get the point though.' Nicolette was walking with her head down trying not to cry with how angry she was at Suzanne.

"What have we here?"

Nicolette looked up at the voice and found that she was halfway to the tree next to the lake that she and Anne always sat under. In her way, blocking her path, was Marcus Flint a repeat Slytherin seventh year.

"Leave me be Flint."

"Now why would I do that, I have a pretty lady all by herself. I must protect her so that no harm comes to her," Marcus said as he stepped closer to Nicolette.

"Listen, I am NOT in the mood to deal with your shit so back off."

"Flint!"

Nicolette turned to find Oliver, Stewart and James coming across the yard from the pitch. She closed her eyes in frustration.

"Just get the hell away from me," she said to Marcus as she walked past him.

"Nikki," Oliver called after her.

Nicolette ignored the boys behind her and went to her spot under the tree. She sat against it and pulled her knees up to her and buried her face in her arms and knees. She heard someone approaching.

"Go away," she said without looking up.

"I will," she heard.

"Stewart," she looked up at the boy who had come over.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just not your day is it? Look, Oliver just wanted me to make sure that Flint didn't hurt you."

"No," she said as she looked out at the lake. "You can tell Oliver I'm fine."

"Nic!" Anne came running to them. "Are you okay? Oliver said you had a run in with Flint."

"Merlin Stewart, go tell him I said to shut his mouth."

Stewart smirked and looked down and winked at Anne who was crouched next to Nicolette. As he turned to go back to Oliver and James, who were waiting, he hoped that this would end soon, he liked being able to spend some time with his girlfriend and their friends.

"Nic," Anne said as she rubbed Nicolette's back. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she said. "Flint was just being an idiot and the guys saw. I'm fine."

_***Please review! I should tell you that even though the chapters don't cover a lot of time I am about 15 chapters ahead of what is posted. Let me know what you think and I might expedite the posting/editing process.***_


	6. Chapter 6

Anne and Nicolette sat there next to each other for the next hour or so watching the Lake. The weather was perfect on the early September morning and the girls just sat with their arms around each other talking and glad they were back together.

"I wish Becs was out here with us," Nicolette said. "And I would be okay with Lacey being around more, if Suzanne didn't always follow her."

Anne smiled. Nicolette and Suzanne really did not get along. It didn't help that about midway through fourth year Suzanne decided that she wanted Oliver. Nicolette had been in love with Oliver pretty much since she laid eyes on him in first year. But she was shy around him, Anne knew that Oliver wanted to be with her too, but neither thought that they were worthy of the other so they didn't try anything.

"ANNE!"

Anne and Nicolette turned around to see Stewart hollering from the steps of the castle.

"LUNCH!"

"We had better go," Anne told Nicolette. They each picked up their school bags that Anne had brought down with her and made their way to the castle.

"Hey," Anne said as they got closer to the castle and found Stewart had waited on them.

"Hey," he said before kissing Anne briefly. "I have James and Brandon sitting with Oliver, tried to get Percy too," he rolled his eyes. "The Quidditch team is also around him, so I get to sit with you two for lunch," he smiled as he finished telling Anne and Nicolette his news.

"Good," Anne said with a smile. "Come on Nic, let's go eat with the cutest guy in school."

Nicolette smiled at the cheesiness of her friends, and walked behind them into the Great Hall. She followed them about a fourth of the way down the Gryffindor table to where Rebecca was sitting waiting on them.

"Hey Becs," Nicolette said as she sat down at the table. "How was class?"

"Fine," she replied quickly. "But I hear you have had an interesting morning."

"Damn it Oliver," Nicolette said under her breath. "I'm fine, Oliver on the other hand is a bigger idiot than he was when you left for class this morning."

"What," Becs said. "I was talking about the Flint incident, what else happened with Oliver?"

"Nothing happened with Flint, but Oliver was the one who told you wasn't he?"

"No," Rebecca said. "I heard Flint bragging about something but the only thing I could hear definitively was your name."

"Oh," Nicolette said ashamed that she immediately jumped on Oliver. "Well Flint was just being an idiot." 

"So," Anne said as she piled some mashed potatoes onto her plate. "Did you sit with James in class?"

"Anne!" Rebecca cut a glance at Stewart hoping he did not know why she asked that question.

Stewart saw the look that Rebecca gave him.

"I know," he said.

Rebecca gave Anne a betrayed look and started to get up before Stewart reached across the table to stop her.

"Wait, Anne didn't tell me anything." He told her. "I have known for a while, you two are almost as bad as Nic and Oliver."

"We are not," Rebecca argued. "James doesn't like me like Oliver likes Nicolette."

"Oliver doesn't like me, so let's stop having this conversation."

Stewart knew that he had to stay out of this part of the conversation. He and James had never discussed his feelings for Rebecca but Oliver had told him how much he loved Nicolette.

"Let's ask Stewart if Oliver is in love with you," Anne said with a knowing smirk. "After all, he is Oliver's best friend, he would know."

"I know nothing," he responded. "And you may get in trouble if you keep trying to get me in trouble," he told Anne. "This morning you wanted me to tell you Nic's secret and now you want me to tell you things my best friend may or may not have said. You are pushing it."

"Avoidance is always a sign of agreement," Rebecca said. "But either way Nic, you are going to have to talk to him at some point. We have a group of friends that can't be together because of this."

Nicolette dropped her fork on the table in her haste to stand up.

"Fine," she said. "So that I don't inconvenience any of you anymore than I already have. I will go BY MYSELF to class. You can worry about Oliver, I don't need you. ANY OF YOU!" Nicolette gathered her things and left the hall.

As she went up the stairs toward Professor's McGonagall's classroom she tried to calm down. She was so very angry right now. As if she didn't feel bad enough that Anne wasn't able to eat breakfast with her boyfriend and Stewart didn't eat lunch with his best friend, Rebecca had to twist the knife. She knew that her friends were his friends and his friends were hers but it's not like she planned this.

As she got a floor away from the great hall she heard footsteps behind her and turned around to find that Oliver had followed her. She let out a sign before turning around and ignoring him.

"Nikki," he said as he got closer. "I know you know I'm here. And I know you know we need to talk."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I know, but if what happened at lunch is any sign, we have to."

"Fine," she said as she spun around to face him. "What would you like to talk about? Hum? Do you want to talk about happened last night? Or I know, you want to talk about how our best friends can't sit with us and the person they're dating at the same time. Well let me solve the problem. I'll not go to meals so they can sit with you. I'll sit by myself in class and seeing as we're an uneven number there should be no problem with that. And I won't hang out in the common room so they won't have to choose there either." She paused a moment before continuing. "I don't want my friends to suffer because we drank too much, so I'll just take myself out of the equation." Nicolette turned and left leaving Oliver standing in the middle of the hall shocked by her outburst.

Nicolette sought the nearest girl's bathroom before she let herself cry. She wasn't sure how she was going to last, or even if she could last the entire school year like this. She needed Anne and Rebecca, but she needed Stewart and Brandon too. They were her male influence. They were her voices of reason, though it was Brandon's fault that she started drinking last night.

Nicolette decided that she needed to go to class so she wiped her tears and checked to make sure that she wasn't too red before leaving the bathroom and going to McGonagall's classroom another floor up.

As she walked in she saw that most everyone was there already, there was still a couple of empty seats left, one next to Oliver, one by Anne and then an empty table near the back. She went to the empty one, earning a questioning look from Anne. As she sat down, Suzanne and Brandon came through the door. Suzanne smiled at seeing an empty seat next to Oliver and went to sit with him. Oliver grabbed his books and got up and sat down next to Anne. Brandon saw this and took the seat next to Nicolette.

"Hey," he said to her.

"Hey," she said evenly.

"So, why didn't you sit with us at lunch?"

Nicolette looked at him not believing that he didn't know.

"Okay, so I know that you aren't speaking to Oliver, but why?"

"You remember how last night you handed me that bottle and I asked if it would make things worse?"

"Yeah, I said only if you drink too much."

"Yeah," Nicolette said as Professor McGonagall shut the door to the classroom. "I drank too much."

Brandon didn't know what that really meant other than the situation was now worse, but he wasn't going to be able to find out until after class.

Nicolette sat through class trying to pay attention to McGonagall but she found it hard. She loved him so much. How could this have happened? How was she going to deal with it?

When class ended Nicolette gathered her things quickly and left the classroom before Anne or anyone else could catch her. She needed to be alone. She knew where Anne and Rebecca would look for her so she had to find someplace that they wouldn't look. Nicolette headed out of the castle toward the Quidditch pitch. They wouldn't look for her there. She was not the biggest Quidditch fan and the stadium was very large so she climbed up and sat on the floor of the Gryffindor section, knowing no one could see her even if they looked.

Nicolette was sad and lonely but she knew that this was what was best for their friends. She pulled out her Transfiguration books and started the homework that McGonagall had just assigned. Hours later, when it got too dark to see she decided to go inside.

As she approached the portrait she saw that McGonagall was standing outside of it talking to Anne.

"NIC!" Anne yelled when she saw her. "Where have you been? We have been looking for you for hours."

"Miss Deloncre, are you alright?"

"Yes Professor," Nicolette said. "I was just taking some time to myself, I needed to be alone."

"Alright," Professor McGonagall said. "Well I will go now that we know you're okay please try not to disappear anymore tonight."

"Goodnight Professor," Nicolette said before turning to the fat lady.

"Where have you been," Anne asked hotly. "I was worried about you, and you didn't eat dinner."

"I… it doesn't matter where I was," Nicolette told her before giving the password to the fat lady and going into the common room.

"YES," Anne said forcefully. "I'm your best friend, why won't you tell me?"

"Because," Nicolette said as she turned around to face Anne. "I needed to be alone, and usually alone means BY ONES SELF. And now, I am going up to my room, ALONE."

Nicolette turned to head up the stairs and found that she was in a crowded common room. The people closest to her were her classmates with Oliver amongst them.

"Please Nikki," he said. "Don't do this."

"To late Oliver," she said. "It's done. Now I WANT to be left ALONE! No one needs to come with me."

Nicolette stormed past everyone and up the stairs leaving her shocked friends in her wake. She threw her school bag on the floor next to her trunk and got ready for bed. Thankfully, no one followed her.

After changing her clothes and washing her face, she climbed into bed and closed her curtains.

Not long after lying down she heard the door to the room open.

"Is she awake you think?"

"I don't know but after the way she talked to me downstairs," she heard Anne's voice. "I could give a rats ass if she's awake or not. I know that she is hurting and upset but that is no reason to be mean to me."

"Maybe Oliver's right," Rebecca's voice came. "Maybe she thinks she's doing what's best for us. Not that it is what's best, but you know Nic, if she thinks she can help, she will."

Nicolette decided that she didn't want to listen to them anymore and waved her wand, throwing up a non verbal silencing charm.

Nicolette lay in bed awake for hours in the silence before she fell into a restless sleep. She fell asleep thinking about how much she had enjoyed waking up in Oliver's arms.

_***Don't forget to review!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When she woke up the next morning she tried to remember why her curtains were shut. She never slept with her curtains shut. She usually stayed awake talking to her roommates, so why would she…

Then she remembered. She had argued with Anne, that hadn't happened in a while.

Nicolette pulled open her curtains and saw that her roommates were still asleep.

Nicolette quickly got her things ready to go shower and get dressed. When she finished and came back into the room she noticed that no one had moved. She quickly put her shower stuff away and grabbed her school bag and headed out of the room.

There was no one in the common room so she went out the portrait and went down to the great hall to try and get some breakfast before anyone else woke.

There were only a handful of people in the great hall eating breakfast and they were all fifth years, must be getting a head start on studying for the O.W.L.S.

Nicolette sat down and enjoyed her breakfast before anyone from Gryffindor came into the Hall. Knowing that there would be more to follow her, she grabbed her bag and went to the library. She took the long way but it was also the way that she knew there would be no Gryffindors.

She had Herbology this morning, with Anne. She had remembered to grab her book before leaving the dorm so after finding a table in a hidden corner she pulled out the book and began to read. She kept a watch on the clock so that she wouldn't be late to class.

At a quarter til eight, she put her book away and headed for class. As she got to greenhouse five, she saw that the class was gathered outside. She saw Oliver, Anne and James standing together near the door so she stopped on the outside of the group of seventh years.

"Nicolette," she heard. She turned around to find Mary Beth, a seventh year from Ravenclaw.

"Hey Mary Beth," she responded with forced cheerfulness.

"How was your break?"

"Good," Nicolette said. "I went to the states and visited some family, what about you?"

"Oh, it was fine," Mary Beth said. "My sister got married so I stayed pretty busy helping her. But we had fun."

"Good."

"Hey," Mary Beth said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Nicolette said, pretty sure what the question was going to be about.

"Are you and Anne fighting?"

Nicolette looked over at Anne who was laughing at something Oliver had said.

"Um, yeah I guess."

"Okay class," Professor Sprout said as she opened the door to the greenhouse. "You can come in, please sit by your house."

'Crap,' she thought as she walked into the greenhouse behind Mary Beth.

Nicolette looked around to see where her dorm mates had sat and saw that they were at a table for four. Oliver was at the end and Anne was next to him, with James next leaving the open spot at the other end. 'At least they didn't want to sit by her either.'

"Hey," she said quietly to James as she sat next to him.

"Hey."

That was all that was said between the four of them throughout the class. They did their work with no talking.

When the double class was over Nicolette quickly gathered her things and left. She walked to the lake and sat under a tree, pulling out her Herbology book back out to study. She would need to go to the dorms to get her Defense book before class but she knew that right after class ended and right before class began the dorms would be crowded, so she waited. She had taken an extra muffin that morning for breakfast to eat for lunch but it didn't fill her very well. She finally decided to close her book and go to the dorm.

She walked quickly up to the castle and passed the doors to the great hall. She glanced in and saw Oliver at the end of the Gryffindor table; he was laughing and talking to some of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She was glad he could still be with his friends, he deserved to be happy.

Nicolette went up to Gryffindor tower and into the common room before she came across one of her friends.

"Nic?"

"Sean," she said as she looked up and found her dark haired friend coming down the stairs to the boy's dorms. "Hey."

"Hey? That's all I get? What happened last night? No, what happened yesterday?" He was confused by her behavior yesterday. "Nic, what's going on, Stewart says that you aren't talking to Oliver and judging by last night, I would say you aren't talking to Anne and Becca either."

"It's a long story Sean," she told him as she walked to the girls stairs. "I'm done telling it. If someone else wants to tell you fine. But I'm done, I don't want to fight anymore so…" She put her foot on the bottom step and paused. "I'm sorry Sean, but we can't be friends anymore, you should tell everyone else that too."

Sean watched Nicolette go up the stairs before turning to head out of the common room and find some answers.

Nicolette sat in her dorm a minute composing herself before changing her Herbology things for Defense. She knew that Sean would go down and tell Oliver and Anne what she said. Anne was going to be upset and come looking for her, she needed to be somewhere else by then. She grabbed her bag and left. She wandered around the castle, staying away from the paths she thought her friends would be on.

She finally decided that she should go to class, she only had a few minutes so she figured everyone would be there. As she arrived outside the door to the defense class she took a deep breathe and peered around the door into the classroom. It looked like everyone was there, all the Hufflepuffs and the rest of the Gryffindors. As she stepped through the doorway she saw that Stewart had his arms around Anne who looked to be crying. Everyone had a table partner but Oliver. But there was an empty table in the back. She headed for it, as she set her bag down and looked up she saw Oliver making his way over to her.

"Look," he said softly when he got to her table. "You can push all of them away because you're mad at me but you still need to eat." He set down and napkin full of food on the desk, turned around and went back to his desk.

Nicolette looked down at the napkin of food knowing that she was starving and not going to eat dinner. But she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of eating what he brought her.

Brandon was sitting at the desk in front of her with Lacey. He turned around and saw her eye the napkin.

"Eat it Nic," he said before turning back around.

Nicolette decided that they were right, she should eat it. They didn't know that she had eaten breakfast before they got downstairs.

As their new Professor came down the stairs from his office she unwrapped the food and began to eat.

As class ended later, Nicolette decided that she liked Professor Lupin. He didn't have them do a lot today. Today was more so he could find out where the class was.

As Nicolette gathered her things she felt someone's presence behind her. As she turned around she found herself looking at Anne. Rebecca was right behind her.

"So Sean gave us your message," Anne said bitterly.

"Good," Nicolette said as she fumbled with her bag. "Then we have reached an understanding."

Anne and Rebecca both had looks of shock appear on their faces.

"What," Rebecca said.

"You're going to throw away a six year friendship over a drunken night with Oliver?"

Nicolette looked around the room at Anne's question finding that they were alone she let out a breath.

"The other option was to make you choose between me and your boyfriend, and I don't want you to do that. You love Stewart and Rebecca loves James. I won't make you choose so I'm choosing for you."

"I don't love James," Rebecca said.

Anne didn't hear Rebecca's response.

"And you love Oliver so why can't you just work it out."

"You don't get it Anne," Nicolette said as she brushed past her two friends. "'Sometimes love just ain't enough,' and I won't be apart of unrequited love anymore."

Nicolette walked out the open door to find the others waiting for them. She stopped and looked up at Oliver and realized that they heard the entire conversation.

She told him, inadvertently but still. Now he knew. She took off running down the hall before he could see the tears.

She made a turn two floors up and skidded to a stop, she had no idea where she was. She walked back and forth in the hall a minute trying to think where she could go to hide. She looked up and down the all and found herself standing in front of a door.

She opened it and peeked in to see that it was a small sitting room. It had a couch with a small table in front of it. As she walked in and shut the door behind her she wondered why there would be a room like this on the seventh floor.

She sat down on the couch and thought about what had just happened.

'Oh God,' she thought. 'Rebecca is going to kill me, James was there too.'

Nicolette sat there for what seemed like hours thinking about Anne, Rebecca and Oliver. She decided that them being mad at her was a good thing, and she wouldn't have anymore problems with Oliver now that he knew she was in love with him.

Nicolette decided that it was time to go back to the tower, so she stood up and looked around the room, hoping that she could find it again tomorrow.

Nicolette arrived at the fat lady and took a deep breath before stepping through. The common room was crowded like it was last night but no one said anything to her, they all watched her walk through the room and go upstairs. She didn't look at anyone and didn't speak.

Nicolette went upstairs and got ready for bed before closing the curtains around her bed and putting on the silencing charm. As she laid there she couldn't help but crying. It was all gone, all her friends. But she had pushed them away. Maybe she should write to her parents and see if she could just come home, not be apart of the magical world anymore.

When Nicolette woke the next morning she opened her curtains and found a note for her on her night stand.

_I tried to talk to you last night but you wouldn't open the curtains so I want to let you know that we have decided to leave you alone. All of us, Oliver included, so you can eat again. We won't talk to you unless we have to for class. We're sorry that you don't want to be our friend anymore, but we'll accept your decision._

_ I love you_

_ Your sister ALWAYS_

_ Anne_

Nicolette looked over at Anne's bed and saw that she was being watched. Nicolette put the note back on the night stand and got her things to take her shower.

Almost a month past in much the same fashion, only now Nicolette would eat meals at the table. She sat at the far end near the teachers by herself. In the evenings and between classes she would go to the library or the Quidditch pitch and sit by herself studying.

One morning as she was coming out of the bathroom she dumped into Anne. She looked up and saw concern on Anne's face.

"Are y…," Anne started.

"Fine," Nicolette said cutting her off and finishing her morning task getting ready for Potions. It was Friday and she was very glad that tomorrow was a weekend and she could sleep in. She had been really tired lately because she was staying up late studying.

Nicolette sat at her new spot for breakfast and pulled out her potions book to study. She was famished this morning.

Nicolette saw Professor Snape leave and knew that it was getting close to time for class to start. As she gathered her things and stood up she felt a little vertigo. 'Must have stood up to fast,' she thought.

Nicolette went down to the dungeons by herself and into the potions lab. She had been partnered with Percy, which was fine with her because he didn't care about what was going on. As she took her seat next to him she felt the vertigo again and reached out to steady herself with the table.

"Are you okay," Percy asked her.

"What? Oh," she said. "Yeah, just a little dizzy."

Professor Snape came in and told them to work on the potion on page 42. It was the polyjuice potion. He told them they would work on it one class every two weeks, this was the first time that they were actually starting it.

As class went on and she and Percy got their ingredients ready to put in the cauldron, she began to feel the vertigo again, only it wasn't going away. She began to feel nauseous as well.

Suddenly she knew she was going to throw up, she just didn't think that she could make it to find a bathroom, as she turned to Professor Snape who was walking past her. She couldn't hold it in any longer; she threw up at his feet.

"Nicolette," someone said from beside her. She couldn't tell who it was the dizziness was so bad she didn't think that she could stand up anymore so she sat, only there wasn't a stool beneath her.

There were arms there though. Someone was holding her up. Then she lost all awareness of anything that was going on and saw only black.

_Please review!_


	8. Chapter 8

_So I realized that I revealed too much in my response to someone's review. I can't help it I am writing 10 chapters ahead of what you are reading and sometimes I forget so… I decided since someone knew too much I would catch all of you up… Review and I might could bring the chapters waiting to be posted to a smaller amount. ;)_

Hours later she woke up in the hospital wing. As she sat up and looked around she found she was alone, like she had been for almost a month.

"Miss Deloncre," Madame Pomfrey said as she came out of her office. "You're awake I see, maybe now we can find out what's going on with you dear." Madame Pomfrey came and stood next to the bed Nicolette was in. "Lay back down please, thank you. Now tell me what's going on."

"I don't know," Nicolette said. "I felt woozy this morning at breakfast and then again in Potions and then I threw up, oh dear." She was remembering what exactly happened. "I threw up on Professor Snape, he's going to expel me isn't he?"

"No dear," Madame Pomfrey said. "You couldn't help it if you were sick. Do you remember what happened next?"

"Well," Nicolette paused trying to remember what had happened. "No. What did happen?"

"You fainted," Madame Pomfrey said. "Oliver Wood brought you here, your friends were all here during lunch and I'm sure they'll be back soon." Madame Pomfrey continued waving her wand over Nicolette assessing her health.

Nicolette thought about her 'friends' for a minute.

"So," Nicolette said. "What's wrong with me?"

"Well," Madame Pomfrey said with a hint of disapproval. "Miss Deloncre, can you tell me if you are sexually active?"

"Oh," Nicolette said looking down at her hands. "Only once."

"And if I may ask," Madame Pomfrey said. "When was that?"

"September 1st."

"Oh dear," Madame Pomfrey responded. "I believe that you are pregnant. I am assuming you know who the father is?"

'What?' Nicolette thought she had to be hearing things. There is no way she could be pregnant, surely life is not cruel enough to allow her to become pregnant with the man she love's child when he doesn't love her. She couldn't stop the tears that started.

"Oh god," she cried as she rolled over in the bed away from Madame Pomfrey.

"Madame Pomfrey," she heard Anne's voice from the door. "Nicolette?" She could hear the concern in Anne's voice.

"Madame Pomfrey, is she alright?"

"She will be, but she's going to need your support child."

Anne came around the bed to Nicolette's face.

"Nic," Anne said as she put an arm around Nicolette's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Annnnnnne," Nicolette cried and Anne climbed on the bed with her and held her as she cried. Anne rubbed her back scared of what was making Nicolette act this way.

Madame Pomfrey slipped away to her office. She knew that she would not be able to check her patient out for a while.

Oliver and Stewart opened the door to the hospital wing to see how things were going and Anne shooed them away.

As Nicolette's tears slowed and the bawling became quiet Anne began to talk again.

"Nic love, what's going on? Can you tell me?"

"Why are you here?"

Anne took a deep breath; everyday for almost a month she had hoped she would wake up to find it was all a bad dream.

"Because Nic, you're my best friend and you need me. I don't know why you thought that not making me choose between you and Stewart was best for me but it's not. I love Stewart but you are my sister and I can't live without you. Please talk to me, tell me what's going on."

Nicolette sat up next to Anne and grabbed the box of tissues that was on the table next to the bed. She dried some tears and blew her nose before she said anything.

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Madame Pomfrey told me just before you walked in."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I kind of think that unless I go home, he is going to figure it out in a couple of months when I'm as big as a house."

"So you're going to keep it?"

"Yeah."

"Anne," Rebecca said from the doorway. "We just wanted to let you know we're going down for dinner."

"Becs," Nicolette said trying not to cry. "I'm sorry."

Rebecca turned her head and said something outside the door before coming in and letting the door shut behind her.

"Does that mean we're done fighting?"

Nicolette nodded her head as she started crying again. Rebecca came to the bed and climbed on with them leaning across them for a group hug.

"What's wrong," Rebecca asked as she pulled away still lying over Anne and Nicolette's legs.

"I'm pregnant," Nicolette whispered.

"Oh Merlin."

"Yeah," Nicolette said wiping more tears. "Becs I'm sorry about the James comment the other day."

Rebecca and Anne shared a smile.

"I'm not," Rebecca said. "James heard and well… he asked me out. You gave him the push he needed. Thanks."

Nicolette smiled.

"I told you he liked you." This made all three giggle.

"What is going on in here," Madame Pomfrey asked walking toward the girls. "If you are done crying we have some things we need to go over."

"Okay."

"If you two could leave us."

"Please," Nicolette said as she grabbed Anne and Rebecca's hands before they could get up. "I can't do this without them."

Madame Pomfrey contemplated this before giving her nod of approval.

"Alright then," she said. "I'm assuming you have told them." Nicolette nodded. "Okay then, first you should know that I must inform the headmaster and your head of house. I am sure they will want to speak with both you and the father. You need to be very careful of what potion fumes you're around, I will get a list of what Professor Snape has planned and let you know if you need to miss anything. You need to come see me every other week so we can make sure everything is going as it should. Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "Um, when is it due?"

"Well," Madame Pomfrey said thinking. "If you said you conceived on the first, which you're sure of?" Nicolette nodded. "Then I would say sometime around the end of May."

"You mean around N.E.?"

"Well," Madame Pomfrey said. "Yes Miss Davies that is a probability, now if you have no more questions you may go to dinner. Oh, and you may experience more moments of vertigo or nausea, take it easy when you feel them. Stay seated and be very careful."

"Thank you," Nicolette said as the three girls climbed down off the bed and walked out of the hospital wing.

"So," Anne said as she put Nicolette's bag on her shoulder and grabbed her arm. "Do we get to eat dinner with you?"

"Yeah," Rebecca said as she grabbed on to Nicolette's other arm. "Tell me I get to eat with my best friends."

Nicolette smiled, she had missed these girls.

"I guess," she said sarcastically. "If you make me."

"We'll make you," Anne said, as the three friends made their way through the castle they caught Nicolette up on the last few weeks.


	9. Chapter 9

As they walked into the great hall it was with smiles on their faces. They found the other seventh years sitting near the middle of the Gryffindor table. Stewart and James saw them coming before everyone else did and smiled.

"Hi," Nicolette said timidly. She knew that not everyone would be as forgiving as Anne and Rebecca. "Listen, I'm sor-"

"Nic," Stewart said with a smile. "If you apologize I'll kick your butt. Shut up and sit down."

"Glad you're back," Brandon said from next to Anne. Nicolette smiled at him and sat down.

"Well I'm not," Suzanne said. "You can't be a bitch and expect us to just forgive and forget."

"Suzanne," Oliver said from a few spots on the other side of Brandon. "If you don't shut up, you can leave. We want Nikki, not you."

Suzanne's face showed shock and hurt as she got up and left the hall.

"Oliver," Rebecca said. "That was mean, true, but mean."

Everyone chuckled at Rebecca's comment.

The group of friends enjoyed their dinner together talking and laughing. Every few minutes Nicolette would glance down the table at Oliver. Anne caught her one time and leaned over to her.

"You need to talk to him," she said. "He won't speak to me unless Stewart makes him."

"Why not?"

"He thinks that I should have told him how you felt," she said. "He and I have been friends for a very long time and he thinks that all of this could have been avoided if he knew how you felt. Because then he would have asked you out a long time ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Anne said quietly. "We had a fight that day after defense and he said that if I had been a better friend to him then there never would have been a problem."

"Oh Merlin Anne," Nicolette said feeling even worse than she did before. "I didn't mean for you two to fight."

"I know," she said. "And I know that he and I will be fine. He just likes you, actually I think he may love you," she said before stopping abruptly. "I shouldn't have said that. I may be your friend, but I just told you more than he would want me too."

"No," Nicolette said. "I think I needed to hear it. And you're right I need to talk to him. I just don't know if I'm ready too tonight."

"Miss Deloncre," Professor McGonagall said from behind her. Nicolette turned and saw the look of disappointment on her face. "May I speak with you please?"

"Yes ma'am," she said as she stood and followed Professor McGonagall toward the teacher's table. Professor McGonagall led her through a door just behind the table. As they walked through the door McGonagall turned around and spoke.

"I have just spoken with Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore," she said. "We have decided to give you until Monday morning to speak with the father. We want to see both of you in Professor Dumbledore's office Monday morning after breakfast, I know you don't have class but you may let him know that he will be excused if he does."

"Yes ma'am," Nicolette responded.

"You are dismissed."

Nicolette quickly left the room the same way she came. She had never disappointed Professor McGonagall before and she didn't want to again. As Nicolette made her way back to the Gryffindor table she saw Anne and Oliver both turn around and watch her. She tried very hard not to cry.

"Everything okay," Anne asked.

"No," Nicolette whispered as she sat down.

"Nic," Rebecca said. "What happened?"

Nicolette looked up and saw that all her friends were watching her.

"We'll talk about it later," she swallowed the emotion in her throat. Anne took the hint and started talking about something they had learned the day before in Defense.

Nicolette listened to the conversation around her, not really hearing it. She needed to talk to Oliver, but she really didn't want to do it tonight. She was still trying to wrap it around her head; there was no telling how Oliver was going to take it.

"Nic," Anne said tapping Nicolette's shoulder. "Hey where were you?"

Nicolette looked at her.

"Just thinking," Nicolette said as she looked around the table and saw that everyone had left but her, Anne and Rebecca. "Where is he?"

"He and James went up a few minutes ago," Rebecca told her. "James wanted to play chess."

"Regular," Nicolette asked surprised that he wanted to do that.

"No," Rebecca said with a smile. "Wizard Chess, sometimes I forget you're muggleborn."

"Sorry," Nicolette said.

"Come on," Anne said. "Let's go upstairs."

Anne grabbed Nicolette's bag and the three made their way to Gryffindor tower.

"So," Rebecca said. "When are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't know but I have to do it before Monday, McGonagall said that I'm to be in Dumbledore's office with the father Monday morning after breakfast."

"Oh," Anne said. "So much for taking your time to tell him."

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "But I don't know if I want to tell him tonight either. I'm having a hard enough time dealing with this on my own." 

"But maybe you should be dealing with it together," Anne pointed out.

Nicolette thought about that for a moment as they got closer to the fat lady.

"Maybe."

"Come on," Anne said. "I at least want to put your bag down."

"Oh sorry," Nicolette said as they went through the portrait. "I can take it."

"No," Anne responded. "I don't mind."

"Hey Nic," Brandon said from the couch where he was sitting with Lacey.

"Hey Brandon," she said with a smile.

"OH! I love that sound," Nicolette chuckled at his response.

"Anne," Stewart said from where he was sitting watching Oliver and James play chess. "Are you going to come and sit with me?"

"Yeah," she said. "We'll be right back."

Anne, Rebecca and Nicolette went up to their dorm to put Nicolette's bag away.

"How are you feeling," Rebecca asked as Nicolette sat on her bed.

"I'm tired," she said. "But I want to go downstairs and spend time with you and the guys, I haven't since our first night back and I miss our time."

"Well then," Anne said as she held out her hand. "Let's go, when you get ready for bed we'll come up, you just let us know."

Nicolette smiled, she was glad to have her friends back. She got up and took Anne's hand and held her other hand out for Rebecca to take. The three friends went down into the common room to spend time together.

Anne led them over to Stewart, Oliver and James. Anne sat in Stewart's lap and Rebecca sat on the arm of James' chair. Nicolette looked around for a place to sit and decided to sit on the floor leaning against Oliver's chair.

"So," Lacey said from the couch sitting between Brandon and Sean. "Nic, what have you been doing in the evenings?"

"Mostly," she said. "I've been studying. I think I need a break though."

"How are you feeling," Sean asked.

"Okay now."

"What was wrong," James asked.

Nicolette looked up at Anne.

"Madame Pomfrey isn't sure yet," Anne answered for her with a smile.

Oliver cleared his throat, but before he could say anything he was interrupted.

"Wood!"

"Yeah Weasley," he responded to George.

"When are you starting the torture?"

"Two weeks," Oliver replied.

George turned back to his twin to plan who knows what.

"I have to do it," Nicolette mumbled to herself as she stood up. "Oliver," she said a little louder. "I need to talk to you."

Anne reached for Nicolette's hand and gave it a squeeze before dropping it.

"Okay," he said as he got up from his chair to follow her.

As she passed Rebecca she got another hand squeeze for encouragement.

Nicolette led them out of the common room and down the hall to an empty classroom. As she shut the door she took a deep breath and turned to face Oliver.

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	10. Chapter 10

"Hey," Nicolette said.

"Hey," Oliver responded.

She was quiet for a moment trying to gather the courage that she had moments ago in the common room.

"I need to tell you something."

"Okay."

"I wasn't truthful back there, about today."

"You weren't?"

"No, Madame Pomfrey does know what happened today."

"Oh?" Oliver waited a moment for Nicolette to continue but as he looked at her he saw tears in her eyes.

"Nikki?" He stepped closer to her and began to reach for her before he stopped himself. "What is it? Tell me what's wrong," he begged wanting to hold her.

Nicolette couldn't help crying. She was about to change his life. She needed someone to hold her so without thinking she lunged for Oliver holding onto him for dear life.

She was scaring him. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her shaking with fear.

"Nikki," he whispered. "Tell me what's wrong. I can't help until I know."

Nicolette pulled away and put her back to him taking a few steadying breaths before she turned to face him again.

"I," she started. "I'm…pregnant."

Oliver was sure he heard her wrong.

"You're what?"

The tears started again.

"Pregnant," she whispered.

Oliver closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No," he said opening his eyes. "It only happened once and I'm not even sure that it did happen."

Nicolette's heart shattered. She turned and ran out of the room only stopping to give the password to the fat lady through her tears. As she ran through the common room she heard Anne and Rebecca call after her and someone followed her. She ran into her room and tripped and fell before she made it to her bed. Someone was there though. Someone pulled her up off the floor and helped her to her bed.

Rebecca.

She saw her friends auburn hair as she climbed on the bed and wrapped her arms around Nicolette. Rebecca sat there holding Nicolette and rubbing her back until Nicolette's sobs quieted.

Nicolette swallowed before trying to speak.

"Anne?"

"She went to go give Oliver a piece of our minds," Nicolette could feel her friend's anger. "What happened?"

"He didn't believe me," she said as the tears started again. "He said that he wasn't even sure we did it."

"BASTARD!"

"I don't know what I'm going to do now."

"I'll tell you what you're going to do," Anne said from the door. "We are going to eat some of the Bertti Botts Every Flavor Beans and Licorice Wands that I have and we are going to sit in here and bash Oliver and Stewart and be men haters tonight. Then in the morning we will figure out what to do next."

Anne came over to the bed and climbed up to snuggle in with her best friends before she too started to cry.

"I broke up with Stewart."

"What? Why," Nicolette asked as she sat up and reached to pull Anne in closer.

"He sided with Oliver."

"He what?" Nicolette was shocked. "Stewart was the one that found us," she said slowly. 'Without our clothes on, what does he think happened?"

"I don't know," Anne said. "I was so mad when Oliver told me what he said that I started seeing red. Stewart had followed me when I left the common room and told me that I needed to calm down, that Oliver was probably right." Anne started crying again. "I love him. But Merlin do I hate him right now."

Rebecca was quiet, taking in what was going on.

"Anne," Rebecca interrupted. "Where is that candy?"

Anne smiled and got up from Nicolette's bed and went to her trunk to get the candy. She brought it back over and climbed back on the bed with the girls.

"Hey," a voice came from the door.

The three looked up and found Lacey in the doorway.

"Anne, Stewart asked me to tell you he needs to speak with you."

"Tell him I said KISS MY ASS!"

Lacey's eyes got big and she turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

Nicolette felt guilty.

"Anne," she said. "This is all my fault, if I hadn't told Oliver then you and Stewart would still be together." 

"I don't want to be with him," Anne said taking Nicolette's hand. "I don't want anything to do with him if he really believes that since Oliver doesn't remember, that means it didn't happen. After last year I thought that he would understand that a girl knows." Anne accioed the box of tissues from next to her bed and blotted at her tears. "It hurts me that both of them would insinuate that Oliver didn't have anything to do with it. It makes it sound like you sleep around, and I know we all know that isn't true."

The door to the room opened again and Lacey came back in.

"Hey," she said as walked over to them. "Is everything okay?"

"No," Rebecca started.

"Yes," Nicolette spoke over her. "We're fine. Or we will be. I don't know how," she said as a tear slid down her cheek. "But we will be."

Lacey waited for a moment before saying anything else.

"Becca, James wants to tell you goodnight," Lacey said. "And Nic, Brandon wants to see you; I told them I wasn't going to go back downstairs so they know if you don't go that means that you don't want to see them right now."

"I better go," Rebecca said sliding off the bed. "I'll be right back."

"Hey Becs," Nicolette said. "Will you tell Brandon I'll talk to him tomorrow, I just can't right now."

"Yeah," Rebecca said before going out the door and leaving them.

"He'll understand Nic," Lacey said. "It took me a while to understand the relationship you two have but, he thinks of you like a sister. He just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I know," Nicolette said. "I love him like my brother. And Lacey, I'm sorry but I may need his help with this. But I promise not to keep him." Nicolette's voice was laced with emotion and signs of the tears on her face.

"He loves me, so you can keep him for however long and whenever you need him," Lacey said as she sat down on Anne's bed across from Nicolette and Anne.

"Thanks."

"So," Lacey said lying back on Anne's bed. "Stewart says you broke up with him."

"Yep," Anne said chewing on a licorice wand. "The stupid prat."

"And Oliver seemed upset," Lacey said. "When he came back he went up to his dorm, didn't speak to anyone. I think that he told Brandon what happened because Brandon is pissed at him."

"If he told Brandon," Nicolette said. "Brandon would have seriously hurt him so I doubt he told Brandon everything."

"Okay," Rebecca said as she came through the door. "Suzanne is coming and apparently she tried to go comfort Oliver again." Rebecca jumped back up on the bed with Anne and Nicolette as Suzanne came through the door slamming it behind her.

"BASTARD!"

"You can say that again," Anne said.

"What?"

"I said, you can say that again."

"You don't even know who I'm talking about," Suzanne said.

"Well," Anne said sarcastically. "If you're talking about a man, then right now, I agree, and if you are talking about Oliver, like I'm sure you are, you may be a little under the goal."

"I'm talking about Oliver."

"Bastard doesn't cover it then," Anne said. "And if you are up here to complain about him you may as well take a number because, Nicolette has you beat on reasons to hate Oliver. Ten fold."

"Why?"

"None of your business Oldde," Nicolette said. "So, since we have decided to stay up here on a Friday night, what are we going to do?"

"Well," Lacey said. "We could talk about how wonderful your performance was this morning in potions," Nicolette blushed at the memory. "I don't know if anyone has ever thrown up ON Snape." The girls giggled, while Suzanne huffed over near her bed across the room.

"I'm going to find Landon," she said before storming out of the room.

"Who's Landon," Nicolette asked after the door shut.

"A sixth year Hufflepuff who she uses for making out with," Lacey said.

"Why are you friends with her," Anne asked.

"Because I feel bad for her," Lacey said. "She doesn't have anyone."

"But," Nicolette said. "She made it that way. She can't go after every guy who is dating someone and expect people to like her."

"Oliver's not dating anyone," Lacey said.

"I didn't mean Oliver," she responded. "She has been doing this since first year when Anne and Sean said they were dating, though how anyone thinks they're dating at 11 I don't understand."

"Shut up," Anne said with a chuckle. "We were young."

"And stupid," Nicolette said with a smile.

"And that's different than now," Rebecca asked making all four girls laugh.

"Do you think that in six years we will be sitting somewhere like this talking about how stupid we were in our seventh year," Lacey asked.

"Well," Nicolette said before anyone else could respond. "Seeing as I already think I'm stupid, I would say that it's very likely."

"Nic," Anne said sitting up and looking Nicolette in the eyes. "You're not stupid, mistakes happen. And if you were stupid, you wouldn't have us. You would be like Suzanne," she added with a smirk.

"So," Lacey said. "Can I ask what happened yet?"

Nicolette sat up on the edge of her bed and looked over at Lacey, contemplating what to tell her. She knew that the whole school would know soon enough, but she trusted Lacey not to tell anyone before it became obvious.

"Oliver and I slept together."

"Oh."

"I'm," Nicolette started before getting choked on the emotions that were building up. "I'm pregnant," she whispered before the dam broke again.

"Oh Merlin," Lacey got up off Anne's bed and sat next to Nicolette as Anne and Rebecca scooted closer to her. The three girls held onto Nicolette as she cried.

"I don't understand," Nicolette said through the tears. "Why? How does he not… How could he think…"

"I think I'm confused again," Lacey said.

"When she told Oliver, he said he wasn't sure anything had actually happened."

Lacey looked at Anne is shock by what she revealed.

"I'll kill him."

Nicolette laughed, snorting loudly. The other girls laughed at her noises.

"It's okay," Nicolette said. "I don't want him to be apart of this if he doesn't think it's his." Nicolette took a deep breath and turned to look at her friends. "You three are the only ones who know, well and anyone who Oliver has told. But I don't want anyone else to know. When it comes out, if a professor asks could you please tell them you don't know who the father is. I don't want my baby to know that their father is a bastard who thinks I'm a slut."

"My lips are sealed," Anne said. "As long as I get to help you," she said with a smile.

Rebecca and Lacey both agreed to Nicolette's terms.

"I can do this," Nicolette said. "My parents are going to be pissed at me, but they will help me. I just don't know if I should stay here."

"No," Rebecca said. "You can't leave; it's our last year at Hogwarts we have to spend it together. Anne and I will help you with anything. I'll hold your hair when you throw up and skip classes with you when you don't feel good. Please Nic, you can't go home."

"She's not," Anne responded for Nicolette. "She's just scared, we're going to go to sleep and everything will be different in the morning."

Nicolette looked at her two best friends and felt Lacey take her hand and squeeze it capturing her attention.

"I'm here for you too," Lacey said. "I may seem to be better friends with Suzanne, but I would rather be your friend any day."

Nicolette hugged Lacey.

"What did I do to deserve three friends like you," she asked them.

"Nothing," Anne said joining in on the hug.

"You were born," Rebecca said before she joined in on the hug too.

"Okay," Lacey said. "You guys have too much drama; I need to go to sleep."

The other three laughed before they climbed off the bed and got ready to go to sleep.

The four friends extinguished their lights shortly after climbing into their own beds.

As Nicolette laid there she thought about all the changes that were coming in the next few months. Life was going to be very different.

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	11. Chapter 11

The next morning Nicolette found her curtains opened and she breathed a sigh of relief that she had her friends back. She looked over and saw that Anne was shaking a little in her bed. Nicolette got out of her bed and climbed in with Anne to hold her friend as she cried.

Nicolette heard Rebecca before she saw her. Rebecca had seen Nicolette change beds and knew that Anne was mourning her relationship with Stewart. Knowing that Anne needed comfort, Rebecca went to the other side of Anne's bed and climbed in, sandwiching Anne between Nicolette and Rebecca as she cried.

An hour later Nicolette heard the door to the room open and shut, she looked over to see Suzanne tiptoeing in.

"Are you just coming back from seeing Landon?"

"Why do you care," Suzanne snapped back. "You're sleeping with two girls."

Nicolette rolled her eyes and turned back to Anne and Rebecca.

"Anne," she said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," Anne said looking up at Nicolette and Rebecca. "But that bitch better keep her mouth shut because I'm not in a good mood and will have no problem hexing her into oblivion."

"Let's get dressed and go get breakfast then," Rebecca said as she started to get up.

Nicolette and Anne followed her off the bed. As Nicolette gathered her things to get ready she looked around the room.

"Where's Lacey," she asked.

"She went downstairs a little while ago to see if Brandon was up yet," Rebecca said.

"How did I miss that?"

"You've not had the best last couple of days," Rebecca said, remembering that at one point this morning both Anne and Nicolette were crying.

"Okay," Anne said coming out of the bathroom having washed her face. "No more crying today for any of us," she said.

"Hey," Lacey said as she opened the door. "Brandon said the guys are on their way down and they want to talk to you. If you want to avoid them we need to run."

The three friends looked at each other and ran toward Lacey, glad that they were finished getting ready. The four girls quickly ran down the stairs, they didn't see anyone in the common room but they could hear feet on the stairs to the boy's rooms. They continued on through the common room and out the portrait hole. But they didn't slow down there. They ran down three flights before they slowed to catch their breaths.

"Do you think they followed us," Anne asked.

"Brandon said he would try to slow them down," Lacey said between deep breaths. "Let's go on though. I'm hungry."

The four girls went the rest of the way through the castle glancing behind them, when they got to the great hall the found seats at the Gryffindor table next to Amber, Anne's little sister and sat with her friends around them so there was not enough space for the guys.

They saw Brandon come in the hall first and averted their eyes from the people that followed him.

The girls ate breakfast in relative silence before being Anne was tapped on the shoulder.

"Anne," Stewart said. "Can I talk to you?"

Anne turned around and gave him a scathing look before turning back to her breakfast.

"Okay, I'll take that as a no," he said. "Nicolette may I speak with you?"

Nicolette cut him a similar look.

"Okay, fine. But I need one of the four of you to talk to me," he said loosing his patience. "I actually have something important to say and you need to hear it."

"Mr. Green," Rebecca said as she set her fork on the table and stood. "I can speak with you," she gave Anne and Nicolette a look before walking to the end of the table waiting on Stewart to meet her.

Anne watched as Stewart spoke to Rebecca. Rebecca didn't give any sign of an emotional response to their conversation before she turned and made her way back to them.

"Well," Nicolette said as Rebecca sat.

"He says that last night was a big misunderstanding and that he and Oliver are sorry and would like to see both of you in the charms classroom. He said Oliver is sorry about what he said, he was just in shock."

"I'm not going," Nicolette said. "But you should Anne. You should make up with Stewart, mine and Oliver's problems don't need to be yours."

"But I-"

"No," Nicolette interrupted her. "You love him, and he obviously loves you. You **are** going to that classroom if I have to make Rebecca take you."

Rebecca made a noise of disagreement at this statement.

"Becs, I can't go or I would take her myself."

"I'm not going," Anne said defiantly. "So no one is going to make me go."

"You're going," Rebecca said.

"What! You're going to make me go and not Nic," Anne argued.

"Miss Smith," Professor McGonagall said from behind her. "I hope there is not a problem."

"No ma'am," Anne said.

"Good," McGonagall said. "Miss Deloncre, I wanted to make sure that you remembered our meeting Monday, and remind you of the guest you are bringing."

"I remember," Nicolette said.

Professor McGonagall gave Nicolette a disapproving look before walking back to the staff table.

"What are you going to do," Anne asked. "She thinks that you're going to show up with him."

"I don't know," Nicolette said as she dropped her head on the table. "Can it be August 31 again? I promise I would do things differently."

Lacey reached across the table and patted her hand.

"I don't think it works like that dear."

Nicolette sat up and looked at the end of the table where the guys were.

"Maybe I should try talking to him again," she said. "I mean, just to let him know that if he doesn't believe me or want to be apart of this… That it's fine. I won't tell anyone, he can going on with his life like it is now."

"I don't know Nic," Anne said. "I know how you feel about him, and I don't know that you can take many more conversations like last night. Me on the other hand, I have no problem talking to him and telling him what I think."

Nicolette thought for a moment before deciding.

"Fine you can talk to him," she said. "But you have to go talk to Stewart as well."

"Fine," Anne said as she stood up to leave knowing she could deal with Stewart if it meant she got to yell at Oliver again. "Are you coming?"

"No," Nicolette said. "I thought we decided that you were going to talk to him."

"I am," Anne said. "But you three can listen at the door."

Nicolette looked at Rebecca and Lacey before the three stood and went with Anne.

The four girls didn't have far to go, only up one floor to the charms classroom.

"Wait here," Anne whispered before going into the classroom and leaving the door cracked.

Anne walked into the room and saw Oliver sitting on one of the desk and Stewart standing in front of him.

"Anne," Stewart said as he saw her.

Oliver turned around to see her.

"She didn't come?"

"No Oliver," Anne said. "I'm the only one you get to talk to today, and I have to tell you that degrading me will be harder than you found degrading her was last night."

"Look Anne," Stewart started.

"No Stewart," Oliver said. "Don't defend me. I was out of line Anne. I was shocked by what she said and I didn't know what I was saying. I don't think that it didn't happen, I wish that it hadn't happened the way that it did but what can I do now?"

Anne thought for a moment before she spoke.

"I'll address your question of what to do in a minute Oliver," she said. "As for you Stewart, what's your excuse? What in the WORLD made you agree with Oliver's comment?"

"I didn't agree with the comment he made to Nicolette," Stewart said quietly. "I agreed with what he said to you."

"Which is?"

"He said that it wasn't any of your business. I'm sorry if you don't understand why I think that he's right," Stewart continued. "But I still think he's right. She may be your best friend and he mine, but this didn't happen to us. We need to be there for them but you can't fight for her."

"You be the passive best friend asshole," Anne said angrily. "I stand up for my friends. No one will be little them and hurt them." Anne turned to leave the classroom before turning back once more. "And Oliver, you have a meeting in Professor Dumbledore's office Monday morning after breakfast. Nicolette will be there to discuss the 'situation' so you need to skip Muggle Studies." Anne turned on her heels again and left the room blowing right past Nicolette, Rebecca and Lacey in her anger.

Rebecca and Lacey followed Anne expecting Nicolette to follow as well. But Nicolette was rooted to the spot she was in next to the door. She felt betrayed by Anne.

"Oliver," she heard. "Where are you going?"

"To see if I can find Nikki."

Nicolette heard his footsteps and knew that she needed to move or else he would find her. She could only take so much hurt at one time and Anne's was overwhelming her at the moment. She turned and ran. She heard Oliver call after her but when she looked back he wasn't following her. Nicolette ran down a floor, past the great hall and out of the castle. She went to her spot she found in the Quidditch pitch where no one could see her. But she didn't cry. She paced. She was angry, angry with Anne for telling Oliver about her meeting with the headmaster.

Nicolette spent the better part of an hour getting angry with Anne and thinking about all that Stewart had said to Anne before Nicolette thought about Oliver's part of the conversation.

As she thought about it she understood his shock, she didn't want it to be true when Madame Pomfrey told her either. Could she really fault Oliver for not hearing what he was saying? And he hadn't just said that he wished it hadn't happened, he said like that. Did he mean he was glad it happened? And did he mean the fact that they had sex and don't remember it or did he mean the fact that she's now pregnant? Maybe I do need to talk to him again.

Nicolette realized that at some point she had sat on the bench in the stands. As she paid attention to her surroundings she noticed someone was coming onto the pitch with a broom in their hand. She couldn't tell who it was. She watched as they mounted their broom and took flight.

At first they took a slow steady pace around the pitch not far from the ground, but after a lap they began to get higher in the air. Nicolette knew that if she didn't want to be found she should go but as she watched the flyer she found herself wanting to be found.

The person was now flying at the level of the stands and was fast approaching her. The closer they got the easier it became to see who they were. As Nicolette watched, the person lifted their head and their eyes locked on Nicolette.

"Nikki," Oliver said as he stopped to hover in front of her. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to think."

"And you came here? This is where I come."

"Oh," Nicolette said. "Well no one was out here, I can leave," Nicolette stood and turned to go down the stairs.

"No wait," Oliver said as he landed his broom on the walk way in front of her. "Can we talk?"

Nicolette nodded and sat back down. She put her feet on the seat in front of her and held her hands together in her lap.

Oliver sat down next to her not sure as to where to start.

"I'm sorry about last night," he said. "I know that it happened, I'm just disappointed that I don't remember it. I still don't know what to say."

"If it helps," Nicolette said softly. "I don't either."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"I'm scared."

"Me too."

"Oliver," she said getting him to look at her. "I understand if you don't want to be apart of this. But I need to know."

Oliver looked out at the pitch thinking about his answer.

"I…" he started. "I'm going to be a father," he said in disbelief. "How are we going to do this?"

"I don't know."

"Should we get married?"

She thought about his question.

"I don't want to get married to anyone because I have too. So no, this is just a mistake that happened and we'll have to deal with it."

"A mistake?"

"Yeah Oliver," she said. "It was a mistake to drink too much firewhiskey that night. It was a mistake for us to dance after everyone had gone to bed." Nicolette was getting more forceful with her words knowing that all she was doing was saying what he was thinking. "And it was a mistake for us to sleep together," she whispered.

"My child is not a mistake," Oliver whispered.

"What?"

"My child is not a mistake," he said louder. "It may have been an accident, but not a mistake. Nicolette, I want to make you the offer you made me. After you have the baby, you don't have to be apart of it. I can raise this baby if you think it was a mistake. I don't want my child to feel as though they are burdening someone and if I have to do this on my own I will."

"No."

"So you don't think it's a mistake?"

"Oliver," Nicolette said. "I'm going to tell you a secret and I need you to not hold it against me."

He nodded.

"I fell in love with you during our first year," she said. "Don't say anything," she told him as he turned to her and started to say something. "I wish that I hadn't, unrequited love is painful. I don't blame you but it is. And as creepy as it may sound to you, if this baby and the one night of not remembered affection is all I get then, I'm okay with that. We will do this together, you won't be able to tell how I feel and maybe someday I can move on. But right now, I think I can only be around you when I have to be. So please," she said as she stood and began going to the stairs. "Please leave me be until our meeting on Monday." She left the stands and the pitch and went to Gryffindor tower to find a place to be alone.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After a stop at her empty dorm to gather some books, Nicolette spent the rest of the day in the library studying. She didn't go down for lunch, though she never felt hungry. She tried to bury herself in school work but ended up spending most of her time staring at the book and thinking about her conversation with Oliver.

"Nicolette."

Nicolette looked up to find that Brandon was standing next to her.

"Hey," she said.

"Can I sit with you?"

"Yeah," she sat back in her chair to look at him.

"Okay, so Oliver won't tell me what's going on, will you?"

Nicolette looked down at her hands before responding quietly.

"I…" she started before looking up with tears in her eyes. "I'm… I'm pregnant."

"Oh Merlin," Brandon said as he pulled her into a hug. Nicolette let the tears fall as Brandon held her close. "It's going to be okay, love."

"No it won't."

"Yeah it will. Babe," he said. "I know this is over whelming right now, but you and Oliver will get through this."

"There's not a me and Oliver."

"Not yet," he said rubbing her back. "But there will be."

"Brandon," she said as she pulled away from him so she could see his face. "What am I going to do? I don't want to be a single mother, I'm not even sure I can be."

Brandon looked around to make sure that they were alone.

"You won't be alone," he told her taking her hands in his. "Anne, Becca, and I will be there for you to help you. And I know that once your parents get over being upset with you, they will help you."

"Thanks," she said.

"Where is Anne?"

"I don't know and I'm not sure that I really want to see her right now."

"Why?"

"She told Oliver something I didn't want him to know about."

"Oh," he said. "You mean she told him that you love him."

"BRANDON," she said. "I don't love… okay I love him, but no. She told him about the meeting I'm supposed to be at with Dumbledore on Monday."

"Why didn't you want him to know?"

"Because he said some things that were really insulting to me and I…," she trailed off trying to decide what she felt.

"You what?"

She thought a moment before replying.

"I didn't want my child to know that its father thinks I'm a slut."

"WHAT?" 

"It doesn't matter anymore. He apologized, said that he was in shock and didn't mean it."

"Doesn't matter," Brandon said. "I'll kill him anyway."

"Don't Brandon. He's said he was sorry and I can understand the shock."

"Okay," he said. "I won't kill him, but only because if I do then your child will only have one parent."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Brandon?"

He looked up at her.

"I love you, you know that right? I always wanted a brother and I'm so glad I found you."

"I love you too," he said. "Nic, why didn't you eat lunch?"

"I forgot."

"You can't do that anymore," he said standing up pulling her with him. "You have someone else to think about. Dinner starts soon, let's put your books away and go eat."

"Okay," they gathered her things and left the library. Brandon put his arm around Nicolette as they walked down the hall together.

When they went through the portrait hole they found the common room crowded with people.

"What's going on," Nicolette asked.

"They have posted the date of the first Hogsmead weekend," Harry Potter told her. "It's on Halloween."

"Oh," she said before turning back to Brandon. "I'm going to run up to my dorm, I'll be right back."

"Okay," he said. "I'll be right here."

Nicolette went up the stairs to the girl's dorm and opened the door to her room. Anne and Rebecca were sitting on Anne's bed talking. Nicolette looked up at Anne before walking to her bed and dropping her bag on the bed and turning to leave.

"Nic," Anne said. "Where have you been?"

Nicolette turned back around to look at Anne.

"I was trying to decide who my real friends were," she said. "See I told a friend of mine something in confidence and well she told the ONE person I didn't want to know. Not so sure that makes her a friend."

"Nic," Anne said. "He had a right to know."

"Yes," Nicolette said. "But it was my decision whether or not to tell him, NOT YOURS."

"Fine," Anne said.

"Fine," Nicolette turned on her heels and went out the door and down to the common room to find Brandon.

"WELLS," she yelled. "Let's go."

Brandon stood from where he was sitting talking to the Weasley twins and hurried over to her.

"What happened?"

"Anne," she said as she led them out of the common room. "I wish she would mind her own business."

"Nic," Brandon said putting his arm around her. "She just cares about you."

"No," she said. "Anne doesn't care about me. I'm not sure who she cares about, but you don't go telling the secrets of the people you care about."

"Nicolette," he said trying to get her to slow down. "You can't stay mad at her, she only did what she thought was right."

Nicolette stopped in her tracks.

"How do you know what she did?"

"Well," he said. "She told me." 

"She told you what exactly?"

Brandon was quiet while he thought about his answer.

"Brandon!"

"She told me everything."

"OH MY GOD!" Nicolette was having a hard time believing what she was hearing. "The whole damn school knows don't they, she told everyone. What happened to my best friend, who I could tell my secrets too? And you, you let me tell you everything and you acted like you didn't know."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I thought that maybe you could use the talking, and she only told me everything because she was worried about you."

"He's right."

Nicolette turned and found Anne and Rebecca walking up to where she was standing with Brandon.

"Look Nic," Anne started. "I know that I shouldn't have told Oliver what I did, and I know that I shouldn't have told Brandon what I did. But I was scared for you, and I know that Oliver is the only one of us who understands exactly what you are going through and whether you like it or not, he is the only one who can help you. We can be here for you and support you, but ultimately, it's you and Oliver who are doing this. And I was running out of ideas on how to handle everything, so I went to Brandon."

"Hey."

All four in the hall turned and found Oliver standing just down the hall from them.

Nicolette closed her eyes and dropped her head to her chest.

"Sorry Nicolette," Oliver said. "I thought that you would be in the great hall already."

"Let's pretend I am," she said as she opened her eyes and left the other four standing there looking at each other.

Nicolette went down to the great hall and sat down at the end of the table, far from the door to the hall. There were very few people there so she was sitting by herself. As she began to fill her plate someone sat down at the table in front of her. Looking up she found Rebecca's face. Rebecca looked ready to cry.

"I'm sorry," Rebecca told her. "I didn't know that she told Brandon, when she told me she needed to talk to him I never thought that she would tell him. I should have stopped her."

"No," Nicolette said. "It's not your fault she can't keep a secret. But I really don't want to talk about this. I just want to sit here and eat."

"Oh," Rebecca said dejectedly. "I'll go then," she stood up and went to where James was sitting with Sean and Suzanne.

Nicolette turned back to her food. She didn't understand. Anne promised not to tell anyone, and then Brandon let her believe that he didn't know. She wasn't sure she would trust either of them again.

Nicolette left the great hall after she finished her meal and went up to her dorm. As she walked through the common room she felt Oliver's eyes on her. Nicolette sat alone in her dorm for an hour before anyone else came in.

When Suzanne walked into the room and saw Nicolette sitting there she turned to her bed with her back to Nicolette. Suzanne didn't know about anything that was going on, those who knew were keeping tight lipped.

"Well," Suzanne said. "You stayed up here all night last night; do you plan to do the same tonight?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but yes."

"Too bad, Oliver and I are going for a ride," she said sweetly. "On his broom, if you know what I mean."

Nicolette could not believe this, she didn't know if Suzanne was being honest but either way she didn't want to hear about it.

"That's great Suzanne, maybe your ride will be better than mine," she said before closing her curtains and lying down on her bed.

She knew that she should not have made that comment but Suzanne was a bitch. She tried to go to sleep so her mind didn't dwell on her problems.

Suddenly the door to her dorm was thrown open.

"NICOLETTE DANIELLE DELONCRE!"

Nicolette sat up wondering why Anne was yelling at her. Her curtains were forcefully pulled open.

"What the HELL is your problem?"

"I thought you understood," Nicolette said with confusion. "You aren't a very good friend."

"Not with me," Anne said seething with anger at her. "You told Suzanne that 'your ride' wasn't very good? Why would you even say anything like that?"

"Because the bitch was bragging about going to ride Oliver's 'broom' and I didn't want to hear about it."

"She was baiting you, and now the whole house knows that you and Oliver had sex, and she told everyone that you said he was less than adequate. How could you do that to him? I thought-"

"STOP," Rebecca said from the door. "Anne, no one believes anything that comes out of Suzanne's mouth and you know that. Nic, the comment was out of line. You two need to stop. Nicolette and Oliver need to deal with this Anne, you don't need to make decisions for either of them. You two are supposed to be my best friends but right now, Suzanne is being a better friend." Rebecca came and stood next to Anne by Nicolette's bed. "Anne, Nic is going to need us and you can't keep going behind her back and making decisions for her."

Anne looked at Rebecca not sure if she was ashamed of herself or upset with Rebecca's reprimand.

"I love you Anne," Rebecca whispered. "I'm not trying to hurt you but, you can't keep hurting Nic either."

Anne knew Rebecca was right.

"Nic," she said turning to her friend. "I'm sorry. I know I didn't have the right, but I'm scared and I know that there's not a whole lot I can do. I wanted to find someone who could help."

Nicolette tried to think how she would feel if the positions were reversed.

"I think I understand why, you told Oliver and Brandon. But I don't know if I can…accept it. You are supposed to be my best friend, I told you when I was scared and I guess I think you should have come to me, not them."

Anne knew that she had pushed the boundaries of their friendship. She couldn't help but let a tear slide down her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

"Right now Anne," Nicolette said. "That's not enough. I need to be by myself. Rebecca, are you going back downstairs?"

Rebecca nodded.

"Will you tell Oliver I'm sorry about my comment," Nicolette told her. "I was angry with Suzanne not him."

"Yeah."

"Thanks," Nicolette said before reaching and closing her curtains again.

"Come on Anne," she heard Rebecca say. "Just give her sometime. She's got a lot going on right now."

Nicolette listened as her two friends left her alone in the dorm. She lay back down and closed her eyes tried of all the stress that had come about in her life.

_I had a break through last night and thought I would give you guys an extra chapter in celebration._

_Make me smile and review!_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_His hands felt heavy on her waist as they swayed to the music that was still playing. As he wrapped his arms around her she moved her hands from the back of his neck and into his hair. She loved his hair; it was so soft and smooth. As she leaned back and looked into his eyes she knew that she felt safe._

_He leaned down and kissed her. It started soft and sweet but quickly became urgent. His hands roamed over her back before they slid down her body to her butt. He used his hands and grinded his pelvis into hers as the intensity of their kiss stepped up again. She couldn't contain her moan from the friction. _

_He moved his lips from hers to the sensitive spot behind her ear. His hands found the hem of her shirt and touched the sensitive skin on her back as she let out another moan._

_She felt him bump into the couch and she pushed him down on it. As she looked down at him she saw the desire in his blue eyes. She climbed on the couch with him, straddling him as she sat in his lap kissing him._

_His hands found the bare skin of her back again. As he hands began to roam over her back she reached between them and began unbuttoning his shirt._

Nicolette opened her eyes. She realized that she was breathing heavy and was very hot. She threw the blankets off of her and opened her curtains. She moved and sat on the side of her bed still trying to slow her breathing down. She wasn't sure if that was just a dream or if she remembered.

Nicolette noticed that her roommates were all asleep and decided to go downstairs so she didn't wake anyone.

As she sat down on the couch that was in her dream she knew that it wasn't a dream. She'd had sex dreams about Oliver before, but this was different. She wasn't sure if it was good that she was remembering it or if she wanted it to stay forgotten.

It was 3am and she knew that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. She looked around the deserted common room and saw someone had left a book on the table. As she got up to go get it, she stubbed her toe on the end table next to the couch.

"Shit," she said quietly.

"Nicolette?"

Nicolette looked up through the dark common room and saw Anne and Rebecca standing on the stairs looking at her.

"Are you okay," Rebecca asked.

"Yeah," Nicolette replied. "I just stubbed my toe. Stupid table."

Anne stepped down into the common room watching as Nicolette picked up a book off one of the large tables that students used to study on before she sat on the couch. Anne approached Nicolette with Rebecca following her.

"We were worried," Anne said.

"Why?"

"Your bed was empty," Anne told her.

"Anne was worried," Rebecca said. "I was asleep."

"I'm fine," Nicolette said. Nicolette looked up at Anne who was standing in front of her.

"I'm sorry," Anne whispered.

"Sit," Nicolette moved to the end of the couch to make room for the girls.

Anne and Rebecca both sat and looked at Nicolette. Nicolette looked at the empty fireplace in front of them before she groaned in frustration.

"I think I'm starting to remember that night."

"What," Anne said surprised that Nicolette was sharing with them, well her.

"Is that good," Rebecca asked.

"I don't know," Nicolette responded looking back at them. "I mean I hate not remembering, but…"

"At least you didn't know what you were missing out on," Anne finished for her.

"Right," Nicolette said. "Now all I keep thinking about are his lips (MMhmm) and his hands, oh Merlin his hands, I thought my flesh was going to burn off."

"Did you remember everything," Rebecca asked.

"No," Nicolette said. "I woke up before it went too far. I mean no clothes had been removed. But it was hot enough."

Anne smirked.

"You had a wet dream about Oliver?"

"Anne!" Rebecca was shocked by Anne's question.

"Several times," Nicolette responded further shocking Rebecca. "But this was different. I could still feel where his lips and hands had been. In a dream I would wake up cold and lacking. Not hot and bothered."

Anne and Rebecca both giggled. Nicolette watched them before she joined them.

The girls spent the next hour discussing dreams they'd had about the boys.

"…And then Sean turned and licked my face. Apparently," Anne said through her laughing. "Apparently, in my dream I found the slobber hot, but when I woke up it gave me the wiggles."

"That's gross," Rebecca said laughing.

"Okay, I got one," Nicolette said. "One time I dreamed that Flint got into our dorm somehow. And when he got up next to my bed he started talking to me only his voice sounded like Professor McGonagall. Only when I woke up, she was standing over me in class giving me detention."

The girls laughed.

"What are you all doing up?"

The three girls turned and saw Stewart on the stairs yawning.

"We couldn't sleep," Nicolette said. "Why are you up?"

"I haven't slept well the last couple of nights, and I heard laughing."

"Why can't you sleep Stewart," Nicolette said hoping that she knew the answer.

Stewart looked at Anne who had looked away when she saw who it was and hadn't looked back at him.

"See there's this girl," he stepped down into the room and began to walk over to them. "I love her, but I keep messing things up."

Nicolette gave a big fake yawn and stood.

"Man, am I tired, come on Rebecca. Good luck with that problem Stewart. And Anne," Nicolette leaned down to whisper in Anne's ear. "He loves you, you love him. And he was right." Nicolette stood and gave Anne a look before continuing louder. "My problem, not yours."

Nicolette hooked her arm through Rebecca's as she passed her and the two went up stairs.

"So," Rebecca asked quietly. "You think they will be okay?" 

"Yeah," Nicolette said walking to her bed with Rebecca still in tow. "They'll be fine. I didn't mean for them to get dragged into my problems but I guess that is a hazard of being friends with me."

"Hey," Rebecca said with a smile. "You won't find me complaining, it paid off for me. I got James."

Nicolette smiled as the two girls climbed on her bed sitting next to each other against the headboard.

The two friends sat talking quietly before Rebecca dozed on Nicolette's shoulder.

"What happened," Lacey asked as she sat up and saw that Nicolette and Rebecca were sitting up on Nicolette's bed and Anne's bed was empty.

"Nothing, Anne is downstairs talking to Stewart," Nicolette said softly. "Becs fell asleep a little while ago. Hey can you see what time it is, if I move she'll wake up."

"Yeah," Lacey said leaning over to look at the clock. "Um, almost 8."

"Thanks, are you getting up?"

"Yeah," Lacey said as she sat on the edge of her bed rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Brandon wanted to have breakfast before anything got started."

"Sorry."

"Don't be Nic," Lacey said looking at her friend. "Life's complicated. But Brandon and I needed to spend sometime together before we decide which of our friends needs us most. I think he is planning on hanging out with you today."

"Well then," Nicolette said with a smile. "You better go get ready, I bet he's waiting on you."

Lacey disappeared into their bathroom as the door to the dorm opened.

Anne gave Nicolette a sly smile before turning and closing the door gently.

"So…"

Anne looked up at Nicolette.

"We're back together."

"It took you guys almost 4 hours to decide that?"

"No," Anne said bashfully. "It only took 5 minutes but well, we had some catching up to do."

"Umhm," Nicolette said. "I have some lip balm if you need it."

Anne swatted at Nicolette's leg as she sat on the opposite end of the bed looking at Nicolette and Rebecca.

"I'm glad you forgave me," Anne said.

"Me too," Rebecca said with her eyes still closed.

Nicolette laughed softly.

"How long have you been awake?"

Rebecca sat up and stretched.

"Since Lacey."

"Where is Lacey," Anne asked.

"Getting ready for a breakfast date," Nicolette said.

"Mmm, breakfast," Rebecca said getting another chuckle out of Nicolette.

"Should we get ready too," Nicolette asked. The three girls moved around getting ready to go downstairs.

"Hey Anne," Nicolette called out over the water of her shower a few minutes later.

"Yeah," Anne responded from the sink where she was washing her face.

"Where did Stewart go?"

"This morning?"

"Yeah," Nicolette responded.

"Well, I think he stayed downstairs for a little while. Brandon came down, that was when I came up. He said he would wait for me before he went to breakfast. Why?"

"Well," Nicolette said thoughtfully. "I was wondering about Oliver."

"Oh."

Nicolette turned off the water and got dried off before she opened the door and found Anne looking at her from the reflection in the mirror. She paused a moment before saying anything.

"I told him."

Anne turned around to face her.

"What did you tell him?"

"That…" Nicolette stopped. "I told him that I've been in love with him since first year."

Rebecca who had walked in the bathroom let the door go. It swung out and then back in hitting her in the butt and pushing her further into the room.

"What did he say," she asked.

"Nothing."

"Nothing!" Anne was shocked. "He said nothing. I don't understand."

"No, he said nothing because I left before he could respond. And the only time I have seen him since was yesterday with you two and Brandon. And he really didn't want to be around me then, if you couldn't tell."

"Wow," Rebecca said.

Nicolette got dressed and put her things away in their dorm. She assumed that Lacey had gone down to the common room while she was in the shower and she saw Suzanne was still asleep.

When Rebecca was ready to go and Anne was still in the bathroom she turned to Nicolette who was putting on shoes.

"Do you want me to go and see if Oliver is down there yet?"

"No," Nicolette responded. "I have to see him at some point right?"

"Yeah."

"Anne! Come on," Nicolette hollered. "I'm hungry."

"Alright," Anne said as she walked into the dorm room with a little more makeup on than she normally wore on a Sunday. "I'm ready."

"Woohooo," Rebecca said. "Someone sure is dressing up."

"Shut up," Anne said as she put her stuff down and walked to the door. "I can dress up for my boyfriend if want."

Nicolette and Rebecca shared as smile behind Anne as the three headed down the stairs.

_*******************If you couldn't tell the first part is a dream*********_

_Thanks to those who review!_


	14. Chapter 14

"Good morning beautiful," Stewart said as he saw Anne step off the bottom stair. He walked over to her from where he had been standing talking to Oliver and Sean.

"Morning," she said with a smile before he leaned in and kissed her.

"Morning boys," Rebecca said. "Have any of you seen my beau?"

"I'm here," James said stepping from the bottom of the boy's stairs. He smiled as he walked over to her and hugged her kissing her on the cheek.

Nicolette was a little uncomfortable with Oliver standing there staring at her.

"I'm going to breakfast," Oliver said turning and heading out of the common room.

"Me too," Sean said as he followed Oliver.

Stewart watched his best friend leave before looking at Nicolette who was also watching Oliver.

"Hey Nic," he said pulling her attention from the portrait hole.

"Hey Stewart."

"So are we ready," James asked. "Because I'm starving."

The five friends made their way through the common room. Nicolette noticed that there were several people who were already studying and a few others were just sitting on the couches probably waiting for their friends.

Nicolette followed the two couples down the halls and stairs of the castle. She wished this year was different already and it wasn't even Christmas yet.

When they got to the great hall Nicolette followed Anne down the aisle. She sat next to Anne and across from Rebecca.

The group of friends ate and enjoyed each others company for a while before anything disturbed them.

"Oh dear," Rebecca said looking at the door to the hall. "Here comes trouble."

Nicolette turned her head and saw Suzanne walking down the aisle toward them.

"Morning all," she said cheerfully sitting down on the other side of Stewart.

"Where's my Oliver this morning?"

"Suzanne," Stewart said trying not to explode. "He is NOT your Oliver. And did you ever think that maybe you don't know where he is because that's the way he would prefer it."

"Wow," Suzanne said. "There's no reason to be rude. I just asked."

"You didn't just ask," Anne said standing to look over Stewart. "You are trying to cause a problem and we don't need that here so why don't you go find one of your little fuck buddies and get the HELL AWAY!"

Suzanne just stared at Anne shocked at what she said.

As Anne sat down Professor McGonagall came down from the staff table.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, Suzanne was just leaving," Anne replied looking pointedly at Suzanne.

"Fine," she said as she got up and went over to the Hufflepuff table and sitting with a sixth year Nicolette didn't know.

"Miss Smith," Professor McGonagall said. "Please remember that you are a prefect and you need to maintain a certain amount of decorum."

"Yes Professor," Anne replied.

As Professor McGonagall left, the group returned to their previous conversations trying to forget their interruption.

"By the way," Rebecca said quickly glancing at Nicolette. "Where are Sean and Oliver?"

"Oh," Stewart said scooping a second helping of eggs onto his plate. "Oliver said something about eating out by the pitch this morning. I didn't pay a lot of attention, but I figure that Sean is with him."

Nicolette was having a hard time swallowing the food in her mouth. She took a drink of her pumpkin juice to help the food down.

"Well good," Anne said. "He would not have enjoyed that little scene with Suzanne. And look the slut is over there all over that guy."

"Could we talk about something other than Suzanne," James asked. "I know, we could talk about how wonderful my girlfriend is," he said with a smirk as he took a bite of his biscuit.

"James," Rebecca said bashfully. The other three chuckled at their antics.

"Well," Anne said. "We could talk about Muggle Studies test on Monday."

"Wait," Nicolette said. "You have a test in Muggle Studies? On Monday?"

"Yeah," Stewart said. "Don't worry. He has already talked to Professor McGonagall."

Nicolette wasn't sure if she was relieved that he was still coming or concerned that he told McGonagall he was the father.

"Oh."

Anne, Rebecca, and James talked about what they thought was going to be on their text the next day while Nicolette thought about the meeting she would be in.

"Do you think they'll send for my parents," Nicolette whispered to Anne who was talking about televisions. Anne looked at Nicolette before responding.

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe."

Nicolette looked up and saw James watching her.

"Did he tell you?"

James nodded.

"Do you know who else knows?"

"He hasn't told Brandon," Stewart spoke for James. "As far as I know, Sean doesn't know either."

"I think he only told me because of Becca," James said.

"He told me about yesterday."

Nicolette looked at Stewart who was looking back at her.

"You shouldn't have left," he said. "You two have a lot that you need to talk about but you asked him to leave you alone, so he is."

"Nicolette is allowed to take her time," Anne said.

"Anne don't," Nicolette said. "Stewart's right and I know it. But Stewart, I'm not ready right now. There is so much going on and it is all huge and life altering. Not to mention I'm trying to keep my marks up for healer training, though I'm not sure how I'm going to do that now." Nicolette looked down at her plate with tears in her eyes. Anne put her arm around her.

"You won't have to do it alone," Anne whispered. "You'll have your parents and Oliver's parents and Oliver."

"Don't forget me and Anne either," Rebecca said from across from them as she reached her hand across the table taking Nicolette's hand in hers.

Nicolette leaned her head against Anne's shoulder.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"Come on," Stewart said. "It's pretty outside. Let's go sit by the lake. We can talk about anything except Nicolette's problems. You girls need to be happy not sad."

"I think I'm just going to go back to the dorm."

"Oh Nic," Rebecca said. "Please come with us, don't be sad."

"I can't think about anything else until after tomorrow and I don't want to bring you all down," she said as she stood. "Don't worry after tomorrow, no matter what comes I will be better company. I think I just need to get it all aired out."

"Okay love," Anne said as she stood and gave Nicolette a hug before Nicolette turned and walked out of the hall and up to the Gryffindor common room.

When she got there she found there were very few people left in the common room. She also knew that all her roommates were downstairs, so she went up to her dorm. As she sat on her bed she wondered what she was going to do. It wasn't even ten o'clock yet and she had all day.

She laid back on her bed thinking about what Stewart said. She knew there was a lot that she had to talk to Oliver about, but after remembering the little she did, she wasn't she if she could see him without getting a little hot. She couldn't help but think about his hands on her skin, and his lips. Those lips could drive her crazy. Nicolette rolled over in frustration and closed her eyes wishing she could get back some of the sleep she missed on this morning.

"Nicolette."

"Nicolette, wake up."

"Hmmm," she groaned rolling over toward the voice.

"Good morning sunshine," Rebecca said with a smile. "Lunch is almost over. I thought that you might want to eat."

"Can't I just sleep," she said groggily.

"How about I bring you something up," Rebecca said.

"Thanks," Nicolette said rolling back over and falling asleep again.

Rebecca smiled and left her friend to her peace.

Nicolette was sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly when she smelled meatloaf. She tried to find it but she couldn't reach it.

"If you want it you have to wake up," she heard an overly cheerful voice say.

Nicolette opened an eye to find Anne standing in front of her holding a plate full of meatloaf and potatoes.

"Give," Nicolette said as she sat up and took the plate. "That was mean," she said before taking a bite of the food.

Anne and Rebecca laughed.

"So did you catch up on any of that sleep that got a little hot and bothered last night," Anne asked with a smile.

"Shut up," Nicolette said trying to not smile. "You can't use my dreams against me," she took another bite. "Besides they do that on their own."

Rebecca and Anne laughed again.

"So," Nicolette said taking a sip of the juice they had set on her night stand. "What have you two done while I was sleeping?"

"Honestly," Anne asked loosing her smile.

Nicolette nodded.

"Talking to Oliver," Rebecca said for them. "We didn't say anything for you, he…"

"He's scared Nic," Anne finished for Rebecca. "He is worried about you after Friday in potions. I don't think he knows anything about pregnancy and is scared because he doesn't know."

Nicolette looked at her plate while she ate knowing exactly how Oliver felt. She didn't know what to expect and had never asked her mum about what she went through when she was pregnant.

"You should go back to your boys," she told her friends looking up at them. "I'll probably just go back to sleep."

"We can't," Rebecca said as she sat on the edge on Nicolette's bed. "They went down to the pitch with Oliver to fly. I think that most of the team went with them too."

"Oh," Nicolette said.

"Can we hang out with you or should we find Lacey," Anne asked sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I would love to hang out," Nicolette said with a smile. "Especially if I'm not taking you from the boys, but where is Lacey."

"I saw her down stairs with Brandon before we came up," Rebecca said.

"Oh yes," Nicolette said as she finished her lunch. "Her Brandon needs me date."

The three girls sat there talking about nothing in particular before they were interrupted with a loud crack.

"Hello Miss."

Nicolette looked around for the voice.

"Down here Miss," the voice said again.

Nicolette looked to right of her bed and found a small elf standing there looking at her.

"Hi," she said. "Who are you?"

"Dobby Miss," he said. "I comes for your plate Miss."

"Oh," Nicolette said reaching for her plate and cup on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. "Here you go," she handed them to Dobby. "Thank you Dobby."

"You're welcome Miss," he said before he disappeared with a loud crack.

"So," Anne said. "What were your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Well," Nicolette said. "I'm all caught up on my studying, and I don't have class until after lunch tomorrow. I have that meeting in the morning but nothing to do for it, so I guess I don't really have anything planned."

"Hey," Lacey said as she came in the door to the dorm. "Nicolette?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go talk to Brandon," she asked. "He's worried that you're still mad at him."

"Yeah," Nicolette said getting up and walking to the door.

"Hey Nic," Anne said. "You should go check your hair."

Nicolette looked at her questioning.

"You have bed head," Anne said with a smile. "While some may find it charming others may be offended by it."

"Shut up," Nicolette said as she went into the bathroom and fixed her hair before returning. "Better?"

"Yep," Anne said.

"Good," Nicolette said. "I'll be back." Nicolette left the three girls in their dorm and went downstairs to see Brandon.


	15. Chapter 15

As she stepped of the last stair she saw Brandon sitting in the chair by the fireplace. As she walked over to him she tried to decide what she was going to say to him. Brandon was leaned forward with his head in his hands and didn't notice her arrival.

"Hey," she said.

Brandon's head shot up to her.

"You're talking to me," he asked.

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "Sorry about yesterday. I'm just overwhelmed and I didn't understand why you would let me think that you didn't know."

"I thought that you might need to talk about it," he said sadly. "I should have told you that I knew but I saw you sitting there in the library and I could see how scared you were. I didn't know what to do for you. Nic, you are one of the most important people in my life, I would never hurt you intentionally."

"I know," Nicolette said as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Hey," Brandon said pulling her down and into his lap as she began to cry. "You're not this mad at me still are you?"

Nicolette shook her head no.

"You know that everything is going to be okay right," he said as he held her close to him whispering to her. "You can do this, I know you can. And Oliver will be there for you. You've got Anne and Becca and even me. We all love you. You won't go through this alone."

Nicolette hugged him tight before she sat up and took a deep breath. She got up from his lap and sat on the hearth next to him and took his hand in hers.

"I'm scared," she said softly looking at their connected hands. "And you're right I have you to help me, but I can't depend on you and I can't push you away. I'm so glad I have you."

"What are brothers for?"

"Hey," Lacey said, she was walking over to them with Anne and Rebecca.

"Brandon! What happened," Anne asked as she knelt in front of a crying Nicolette and Brandon.

Nicolette smiled at her friends concern.

"We were just talking," Nicolette reached for Anne's hand to reassure her friend. "I'm okay really."

"Oh, well," Anne said as she got up off the floor and sat next to Nicolette on the hearth.

"So are we going to hang out here," Rebecca asked.

"No," Nicolette said. "Let's go sit by the lake."

They five friends left the Gryffindor common room and walked through the castle out onto the grounds.

For the next hour they sat under a tree near the lake talking. They talked about class, about the upcoming Quidditch season and they even talked about what McGonagall and Dumbledore would say to Nicolette and Oliver tomorrow morning.

As the sun started fading into the horizon they heard laughing behind them. Turning they found Sean, James, Stewart and Oliver heading in the direction of the castle with their brooms in hand.

"HEY GUYS," Nicolette bellowed. She knew that since Oliver was with them no one else would get their attention.

Stewart looked over at Oliver before leading the other three over to their friends.

"Hey," Stewart said as he sat down and gave Anne a kiss. "What are you lot doing out here?"

James sat next to Rebecca and Oliver and Sean just stood there. Oliver wasn't sure if he was really welcomed so he didn't want to get too comfortable.

"It was nice out so we thought that we would come out here," Anne answered.

"What time is it," Brandon asked.

"Dinner time," Sean said. "That's where we were going."

"Oh," Nicolette said. "Maybe we should all go." As she stood up she felt a large wave of dizziness and tried to reach out for something to steady herself. She found arms go around her and looked up to find Oliver was there.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

Nicolette closed her eyes trying to calm the spinning.

"Give me a sec," she said.

"Nic," she heard Anne say. "Do I need to get Madame Pomfrey?"

Nicolette shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she said opening her eyes and finding the world wasn't going around in circles any more. "That's better," she stepped out of Oliver's arms. "Thanks Oliver."

He nodded as the other got up from where they had watched Nicolette's unsteadiness.

The group of friends went up to the castle, everyone keeping an eye on Nicolette while they walked. Stewart let go of Anne's hand and went over to Nicolette. He put his arm around her taking her from Oliver's support. Oliver fell to the back of the group. He knew that she didn't want him around but he hadn't wanted her to walk alone if she was feeling weak and woozy.

Stewart and Nicolette led the group into the great hall and took seats close to the door so Nicolette didn't have to walk too far. Nicolette sat at the end of the table with Anne next to her and Rebecca across from her.

As the group sat talking and eating Nicolette thought about the guy down at the end of the group who was being as quiet as she. She didn't know how to deal with him. Last year they were such good friends, they kind of had to be once Anne and Stewart got together but this year even on the train before everything happened he was weird with her. Like he didn't really want to be around her but knew he had to. She didn't understand at all. Stewart's comment from a couple weeks ago kept replaying in her mind: '_But whatever happened last night had to have happened because of feelings you both have, right?'_ She had begun to think that maybe Oliver felt at least something for her. Stewart is his best friend, he would know right. But Oliver had never led her to believe that. He never did anything to let her think that he might have feelings for her. Even down at the lake a little while ago, when he helped steady her, his concern was for the safety of his baby right? After their conversation at the pitch yesterday, it had to be right?

"Nicolette," Rebecca said from across from her. "Are you here with us?"

"What," Nicolette said looking up at her friend. "Oh, yeah I'm here. Sorry just thinking."

"Nic, you haven't eaten anything," Anne said. "Are you feeling okay?"

"No," Nicolette said softly. "Little nauseous."

"Maybe you should take something up for later," James said. "When you feel better, you may get hungry."

"Yeah," Nicolette said not making any movement to do as suggested. "I think I'm just going to go up and go to bed, maybe I'll feel better tomorrow." Nicolette stood to leave and lost her balance sitting back down quickly.

"Nicolette," Rebecca said from where she was now crouched next to Nicolette.

"I'm okay," Nicolette said. "Just dizzy."

"Here," Oliver said as he reached a hand out from behind her. "I'll help you upstairs."

Nicolette looked up at him and decided that she needed to accept his help as she put her hand in his. She waited for Rebecca to step back before she stood again. This time Oliver had a hold of her arm, she waited a moment for the dizziness to subside before looking at him and nodding.

As Oliver and Nicolette made their way through the castle they did so in silence. The student body was all at dinner so they encountered no one. Nicolette couldn't bring herself to say anything to Oliver so it stayed quiet.

Oliver gave the password as they arrived at the fat lady and helped her through to the common room.

"I can't help you up the stairs," he realized. "Do you want to wait here for one of the girls?"

"I think I can manage," Nicolette said as he let go of her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Okay," he said. "Nicolette," she turned and looked up at him. "I'll see you in the morning."

She nodded and started up the stairs slowly. She used the walls as support when she felt unsteady. As she got up to her dorm and went in she saw Suzanne was on her bed. Nicolette could hear her crying softly. Nicolette made her way to her own bed before she said anything.

"What happened?"

"Huh?" Suzanne sat up and found Nicolette sitting on her bed across the room. "How long have you been here?"

"I just got here," Nicolette said. "Are you going to tell me why you're crying?"

"Why should I, it's not like you actually care."

Nicolette took a deep breath.

"You're right, you tend to be kind of a bitch but I am trying to be nice, so if you want to talk about it, I could use the distraction."

"I think I'm in love."

"With Oliver? You should probably give that up. I think he's let you know how he feels." 

"Not Oliver."

"Then why do you always hit on him like you do?"

"Well," Suzanne started. "I guess I'm trying to see if I can make him jealous."

"Oliver?"

"No," she said. "Sean."

"Sean!" Nicolette was surprised. "You love Sean?"

"Yeah," Suzanne said.

"Oh," Nicolette laughed.

"It's not funny," Suzanne was getting upset with Nicolette's response.

"It kind of is," Nicolette said smiling. "Why would you think that hitting on Oliver in the way you do would make Sean jealous? If you want Sean to like you, you can't do what you do to Oliver. They're friends, you annoy one you annoy both."

"So," Suzanne said shyly. "What do I do?"

"Well," Nicolette said. "I don't have a lot of experience since I haven't gotten the guy I like but…" Nicolette thought about how to word what she was going to say. "No more sleeping with anybody. Guys like it when the girl they're with haven't shagged the whole school. And you have to be nicer, to everyone. Some guys like mean girls but they tend to be mean guys. Sean is not a mean guy."

Suzanne listened to what Nicolette said quietly.

"So," she asked Nicolette timidly. "Do you think he likes me?"

Nicolette smiled at Suzanne's insecurity.

"I don't know but I can try and ask him in a non direct way if you'd like."

"You'd do that," Suzanne asked. "Even after everything I've done to you."

"Well," Nicolette thought. "On any other day the answer would probably be no, but I am in a weird mood today."

"When would you ask him?"

"Well, since I'm about to go to bed. I would ask him in the morning or sometime tomorrow, it's not something that I would just spring on him."

Suzanne thought for a few minutes while Nicolette got up and got ready for bed.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Nicolette said grabbing her bed post to steady herself.

Nicolette went in the bathroom and washed her face and changed clothes before coming back out.

"Hey Nic," Suzanne asked.

"Yeah."

"Your comment yesterday, about Oliver… Was it true?"

Nicolette thought about what her answer should be, Suzanne shared with her but how much should she share with Suzanne. She still didn't trust the girl yet.

"Parts of it."

"So," Suzanne started. "You slept together?"

"If you could call it that."

Suzanne sat up straighter.

"Did he you know…"

"What?"

"Force you?"

"NO, Merlin no, we just had too much firewhiskey. But Suzanne not very many people know this."

"I won't tell, I promise."

"Okay," Nicolette climbed back in bed and under her covers. "Well goodnight."

"Nicolette?"

"Yeah Suzanne," Nicolette said wanting to lie down.

"Thanks for trusting me."

"Don't let me down," Nicolette said as she put her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. It didn't take her long to fall asleep.

*Sorry for the delay. Thanksgiving deterred me. Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Nicolette woke early the next morning. None of her roommates were awake yet, so she got up quietly to shower and get ready in the bathroom.

Standing under the hot shower Nicolette thought about her meeting with McGonagall and the headmaster. She had only been to Professor Dumbledore's office once and that was because her grandmum died and she flooed from his office to the ministry where her mum and dad had picked her up from. He wasn't even there, Professor McGonagall had taken her. She was a little intimidated by Professor Dumbledore.

And Oliver. What was she going to do about Oliver? He told her that he wanted to be apart of the baby's life, actually he made it sound like he wanted to there for the baby all the time. She wasn't sure that her nerves could handle that much of Oliver. How was she supposed to get over him if he was always there?

As Nicolette finished putting her things away she heard Anne moving in her bed which meant that she would wake up soon. So Nicolette decided to go down to the common room. It was so early she didn't expect there to be anyone down there. At the bottom of the stairs she found she was wrong, there was someone in the common room.

"Hi," she said as she walked around the couch.

Oliver looked up at her.

"Hey," he said.

Nicolette sat down in the chair near the couch. The two sat in silence not looking at each other for a few minutes before Oliver spoke.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better."

Oliver nodded.

"How long have you been up," she asked.

"I don't know that I actually slept," he said quietly. "I don't think I have slept since Friday night." Oliver was lost and confused. "Nicolette what are we going to do? How are we going to do this?"

Nicolette stood and sat back down next to Oliver on the couch and took his hand.

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I'm sure we need to tell our parents, but after that I don't know."

A throat cleared and they both turned and found Stewart and Brandon standing on the stairs.

"Sorry," Stewart said. "We were worried when Oliver wasn't in his bed."

Nicolette let go of Oliver's hand and he looked down at the loss he felt.

"We were just talking," Nicolette said standing up and sitting back in the chair.

"Are you okay," Brandon asked as he and Stewart sat on either side of Oliver.

Oliver nodded and Brandon looked over at Nicolette.

"What about you Nic," he asked.

"I'm fine."

"Morning," Anne said as she came down the bottom stair and sat on the arm on Nicolette's chair.

"Morning love," Stewart said sending her a wink.

The five sat in the quiet for a while. They were joined by Rebecca, James, Lacey and Sean at some point before anyone said anything.

"Good morning," Suzanne said cheerfully coming to a stop next to the couch.

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"I'm going down to breakfast," he said standing and moving to the portrait.

"Come on Nic," Anne said as she stood. "We should go too."

The group followed Oliver to the great hall and sat at the Gryffindor table.

Nicolette was in a daze as she sat between Anne and Rebecca. She tried to eat the food they put on her plate but she found it was hard to eat with a lump in her throat.

Nicolette was not aware of the conversations going on around her. She looked up she saw that Oliver wasn't paying any attention to his friends either.

"Nic," Anne said leaning gently against her shoulder to get attention. "We have to leave, it's time for class. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Nicolette said before swallowing. "I'll be fine. I'll meet you in the common room after your class."

"And what if your meeting last longer than that?"

"I'll find you," Nicolette said.

James, Anne, Rebecca, Lacey and Brandon all got up from the table, said goodbye and left for class.

Nicolette sat still at the table not wanting to get up. When she got up and went to her meeting everything would be real. Right now it was a little like a nightmare, going to see Professor Dumbledore make it reality.

"Miss Deloncre," Professor McGonagall said from behind her. "If you and Mr. Wood could follow me, please."

Nicolette looked up at Oliver who looked at her. They both stood and followed Professor McGonagall out of the great hall and through the castle to the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office.

"Chocolate frog," Professor McGonagall said. The gargoyle sprung open to the staircase that led them to the office.

Nicolette followed Professor McGonagall up the stairs. She was scared out of her mind.

Professor McGonagall opened the door without knocking and held the door open for Nicolette and Oliver to come through before shutting it behind them.

"Good Morning," Professor Dumbledore said from behind his desk. "Why don't you two have a seat," he said motioning toward the chairs in front of his desk.

"Sorry I'm late," Madame Pomfrey said as she came in the door.

Nicolette looked at Oliver as she sat in a chair across from Professor Dumbledore.

"Alright," Professor Dumbledore said. "I believe that we all know why we are here, so let's discuss our little problem. Miss Deloncre, I believe that you have found yourself pregnant, correct?"

"Yes sir," Nicolette replied looking at her hands that she had in her lap.

"And Mr. Wood here is the father?"

Nicolette nodded.

"Speak up child," Professor McGonagall scolded.

"Yes sir," Nicolette said looking up at him.

"Well I believe that it is too late to tell the two of you that you are too young to be engaging in such activities, so I won't. But what we do need to decide is what we are going to do. I contacted Mr. Wood's father this morning and he is procuring a way for Miss Deloncre's parents to get here and should arrive shortly with Mrs. Wood as well. If you would like you may go to your dormitory until they arrive."

"What about class," Oliver said.

"You may miss it as I am sure that you will not learn much given the circumstance."

"Thank you Professor," Oliver said as he stood. Nicolette remained seated fidgeting with her hands.

"Did you have a question Miss Deloncre?"

"Yes sir," she said looking up at him. "You're not going to kick me out of school are you?"

Professor Dumbledore smiled at her.

"No dear, you two may be younger than I would like for my students to become parents but you are adults in the eyes of the Ministry of Magic."

Nicolette let out a breath she had been holding before standing.

"Thank you sir," she said turning and leading Oliver out of the office.

Nicolette stepped off the bottom stair and leaned against the wall across from the gargoyle.

"Are you okay?"

Nicolette looked up at Oliver.

"It's not over yet," she said. "We still have to tell our parents."

"Yeah," he said. "But you're lucky."

"Why's that?"

Nicolette stood and walked next to Oliver toward the Gryffindor common room.

"You're the one pregnant, no one will kill you."

Nicolette smiled.

"Are you scared?"

"Of your father, yes."

"Don't be," she said. "He's harmless, as long as I'm happy, he's happy. Now my mum is another story. And she would kill me not you, she loves you. I go home for breaks and she spends the whole time… 'Oliver is such a good boy, his mum is so proud.' I can't figure out if she wishes that we were dating or if she wants you to be her child."

Oliver looked over at Nicolette as they walked.

"So what will she think of this twist?"

"She'll probably say we should get married."

Nicolette would love to marry him, but she wanted for him to WANT to marry her.

"Right," Oliver said. "So you still don't think we should?"

"Oliver," she said. "You don't love me. Do you really want to marry someone you don't love?"

"I never said I didn't love you."

Nicolette stopped walking.

"What," she asked in an almost voiceless whisper.

Oliver turned and faced her.

"I never said I didn't love you. You said that. You haven't let me tell you what I feel or think or want about any of this."

Nicolette's mouth opened and shut in her confusion.

"Wh-What do you think?"

"Well," Oliver said putting his hands in his pockets. "I think that I'm scared of being a father. I feel like my heart is breaking every time I look at you, and I want this baby. But Nicolette, I want you too."

"Why," Nicolette swallowed as her mouth became to dry to speak. "Why did you stop calling me Nikki?"

"What," Oliver said looking at her. 

"Why did you stop calling me Nikki?"

"I figured that you didn't want me to call you that."

"Nicolette, Oliver," a raven hair boy called to them as he approached. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to find you. He said to tell you he needs to see you in his office."

"Thanks Harry," Oliver said as he turned back toward Dumbledore's office. "They must be here already."

"Oliver," Nicolette said.

"We don't have time to talk about this Nicolette, we have to go." Oliver led the way back to the gargoyle that was standing open. Nicolette followed him, not sure what to say.

As they got to the top of the stairs and faced the door Nicolette spoke.

"Oliver," he looked at her. "It's Nikki."

She knocked on the door.

_*Please review!_


	17. Chapter 17

_Since I got 4 reviews in ONE day, I thought that I would update a little early._

**Chapter 17**

"Come in."

Nicolette opened the door to see her and Oliver's parents standing there looking very worried.

"Nicolette," her father said.

Nicolette couldn't stop herself as she broke out in tears and ran into her father's arms.

"Baby what's wrong," Luc asked his daughter.

Oliver walked over to his mother and gave her a hug.

"Mum," he said before looking up at his father. "Dad."

"Nicolette," Katherine spoke to her daughter as she rubbed her back. "What's wrong dear?''

Nicolette let go of her father and looked over at Oliver who was watching her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Deloncre, Mr. and Mrs. Wood, if you could please have a seat we can get started," Professor Dumbledore said gesturing toward the couch and chairs near the fireplace.

Nicolette and Oliver's parents went and sat waiting for an explanation.

"Miss Deloncre, I will leave this to you and Mr. Wood," Professor Dumbledore said as he stepped back toward his desk and Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey who had been standing behind his desk.

Nicolette took a deep breath turning and facing her parents.

"Mum Dad," she felt a hand take hers and she looked down to see Oliver was holding her hand, she looked up at him and saw a strength there that she lacked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Deloncre, Mum, Dad," Oliver said taking over for her. "Nicolette and I are," he took a deep breath before continuing. "Pregnant."

The four parents were silent with shock.

"Wha-Wha-," Mr. Wood said stunned speechless.

Both Oliver's and Nicolette's mothers looked like they were going to cry.

"Pregnant?" Luc stood and walked to his daughter taking her other hand not being held by Oliver's. "My baby is going to have a baby?"

"Oliver," Derrick said finding his voice. "How could you let this happen? You know better than this, we TALKED ABOUT THIS!"

"Wait Mr. Wood," Nicolette said stepping away from her father and toward Mr. Wood not letting go of Oliver's hand. "This was an accident; it was not Oliver's fault. We both participated, you can't be mad at him."

"You're sure," Mary Ann asked with tears in her eyes.

"Yes mum," Oliver said.

"Well," Katherine started. "I guess we have a wedding to plan," she said sadly. "When are you due?"

Nicolette looked at Madame Pomfrey.

"I have her due date as May 25th. With how young she is, I would say the baby will likely be early," Madame Pomfrey said.

"How early," Katherine asked.

"Without a sear, I would have to guess…as early as May 4th, could be earlier than that but I don't think she will go much later than that."

"A sear," Luc asked looking at Derrick.

"They see the future," Derrick told his friend. "Not completely accurate."

"So we need to have the wedding over Christmas break," Mary Ann said.

"Wait," Oliver said. "We never said we were getting married. Nikki doesn't want to get married just because of the baby, so we're going to wait."

"Oliver Jackson Wood," Mary Ann said as she stood. "You will not let this child be born without a mother and a father."

"Mrs. Wood," Nicolette said. "This baby does have a mother and father. Our being married doesn't change that."

"Look," Oliver said. "We know you think that you have the answers but they aren't our answers. We are adults and we're about to be parents so we're going to do this the way WE think we should. We love you but our life is starting and we have to decide how it goes."

Nicolette looked at Oliver with a sad smile. She was glad he stood up for them; she was worried that things were getting out of hand.

"So if we don't get any say, then why are you telling us," Katherine asked.

"Because mum," Nicolette said. "We both know how important family is."

"Oh," Katherine said getting upset with the conversation. "I see, you want our help, but only on your terms."

"Mum," Nicolette said. "Please don't be angry with me. We're scared and we are doing the best we can." 

"She's right dear," Luc said as he walked back to his wife and took her hand. "She and Oliver have to deal with this. We can only offer our support."

"Well," Mary Ann said unsure of herself. "Are you going to finish school?"

"Yes," Oliver said. "We will both finish school. I don't know what we'll do after the baby comes but we don't want our goals to change we will just have an addition to our lives."

"If I may suggest, there is an area of the castle that hasn't been used in years," Professor Dumbledore said interrupting them. "The area was intended for married couples when students got married at much younger ages than they do now. A suite of rooms could be arranged for after the baby is born so that they can both take care of the baby."

"But what about until then," Derrick asked. "Does she stay here when she is 7 months pregnant and your students start thinking they want to do the same? Kids this age are impressionable. What one does they all want to do."

Professor McGonagall exchanged a look with Madame Pomfrey knowing he was right.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore said. "That would be up to Miss Deloncre. There are spells to hide the pregnancy, but the decision is yours Miss Deloncre."

Nicolette thought about it for a moment.

"Can I think about it?"

"Yes," he said. "You have a few months before it would become necessary."

The Woods and Deloncres sat there not knowing what to say to their children who were no longer children anymore.

"We should go," Nicolette said quietly to Oliver. "I'm sorry if we have disappointed you," she began to walk to the door still holding Oliver's hand.

"Nicolette," Mary Ann said causing Nicolette and Oliver to stop and face her again. "It's not that we're disappointed in you two, we just..."

"Hoped things would be different for you," Katherine finished.

Nicolette dropped Oliver's hand and walked to her mother.

"We'll be okay mum," she said as she hugged her mother. Nicolette let go of her mum and hugged Mary Ann. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Mary Ann told her. "Like you said, accidents happen. The two best things in my life were because of accidents."

Nicolette and Oliver said their goodbyes before turning for the door.

"Miss Deloncre, Mr. Wood," Professor McGonagall said. "You are both expected in my class this afternoon."

"Yes ma'am," Oliver answered for them.

Nicolette led them down the stairs and through the gargoyle again.

"What time is it?"

"Ah," Oliver said looking down at his watch. "Eleven O'clock, we should go get our books and then go to lunch."

"Okay," Nicolette said as they started down the hall headed to Gryffindor tower. Nicolette reached out and took Oliver's hand as they walked.

"Are you okay, that was a little intense in there?"

"Yeah," she said. "It went about how I expected it too."

"You seem a bit out of sorts."

"Well, I guess I am," Nicolette told him. "I am still a little overwhelmed by our conversation."

"Oh."

"Did you mean what you said," Nicolette asked softly as she watched her feet while she walked.

"Which part," he asked looking over at her. "I said a lot. I don't remember a part that I didn't mean."

"You want me?"

Oliver stopped walking and turned Nicolette to face him taking both of her hands in his.

"Yes, I have wanted you since I first saw you, but you always made me feel like a friend and I decided that I didn't want to ruin that if you didn't feel the same. I love you," he said. "I have wished every night since September 1st that I could remember what happened. That is one memory I would always cherish. I don't even remember the first time we kissed that night."

Nicolette listened to him as he explained his feelings. She was feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she listened to him. As he finished talking she decided she couldn't wait any more so she let go of his hands and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Oliver was shocked for a moment before he responded wrapping her in his arms.

"Ummhmm."

Neither Nicolette nor Oliver heard the person trying to get their attention.

"Nicolette!"

Nicolette finally pulled away opening her eyes looking at Oliver smiling.

"Oliver!"

Nicolette and Oliver looked at the voice and found Anne, Lacey, Stewart and James standing next to them smiling.

"So," Anne asked. "I'm assuming everything is alright."

Nicolette smiled and stepped away from Oliver.

"We need to get our books," Oliver said as he took her hand again and led them to the fat lady that was just past their friends.

"Should we wait for you or will you meet up down stairs?"

"You can do whatever you want Stewart," Oliver said. "We'll be right back."

Oliver led them into the common room and over to the stairs, where he kissed Nicolette again.

"Hurry back," he told her.

Nicolette smiled and ran up the stairs to her dorm, grabbed her bag making sure she had her Transfiguration book and went back downstairs. Oliver was waiting for her smiling.

"Come on," he said taking her hand and leading her back through the common room. "I'm sure they're waiting for us," he smiled at her as they went through the portrait hole and found their friends standing there waiting on them.

"Anything you need to tell us," Lacey asked with a smile.

"Nope," Oliver said leading the group still holding Nicolette's hand. "I'm hungry."

Oliver pulled Nicolette closer and smiled down at her. She smiled back and blushed looking down the hall in front on them.

"So," Anne said expectantly.

Nicolette looked over at her friend.

"So what?"

"What did Dumbledore say?"

"Oh," Nicolette looked back up at Oliver before responding. "Well not a whole lot really, but our parents did."

"Your parents," Stewart said from the other side of Oliver.

"Yeah," Oliver responded. "They weren't exactly happy."

"No, but Oliver told them how it was going to be," Nicolette said proudly.

"You told Derrick off," James said. "Bet he didn't like that."

Oliver glanced back at his friend and shook his head.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

As they went into the great hall they saw that Rebecca, Brandon and Sean were already waiting for them.

"Hey," Rebecca said as she saw Nicolette holding hands with Oliver as they approached. "Just to tell you Percy and Suzanne are eating with us too. I think that Percy and Penny are fighting, and Suzanne is being weird."

The group sat around the table with each other and started piling food onto their plates.

"Nikki," Oliver said to her. "Are you okay, you're not eating?"

"I don't feel very well," she said. "All of a sudden I'm a little queasy."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know, let me just sit here and minute and see."

Oliver put his arm around her and rubbed her back.

"Nic," Rebecca said from across from her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I'll be fine."

"How did your meeting with Dumbledore go," Brandon asked as he sat next to Stewart.

"Fine, until our parents got there," Nicolette said as Oliver ate a bite of mince pie that made her want to gag.

"Your parents," James said from where he was listening.

"Yeah," Oliver said swallowing. "But maybe this is not the best place to have this conversation, why don't we all talk after dinner tonight, in our dorm."

"Hello," Suzanne said politely as she stepped up behind Nicolette.

"Hey Suzanne," Nicolette said. "Are you going to sit with us?"

"If it's okay?"

"Of course," Nicolette said. "Anne, budge over."

"What?"

"Move over," Nicolette said with a smile.

"But…" Anne was shocked that Nicolette was even being nice to Suzanne.

"It's okay Nicolette," Suzanne said. "I can sit down here. I would rather sit by Sean any ways." Suzanne went and sat next to Sean who was a few seats on the other side of Oliver.

Nicolette gave Suzanne a smile before turning back to find Anne and Oliver both staring at her with shock.

"What," she said innocently. "We talked last night and came to an understanding. She is done with you," she told Oliver. "She was really only using you, she just wasn't doing it properly."

"Oh," Anne said. "And you told her how to use Oliver properly?"

"No," Nicolette said taking a deep breath as another strong wave of nausea passed over her. "I told her she shouldn't use anyone to get someone else. I'll be back," she said as she stood up quickly climbing over the bench and running out of the hall.

Oliver watched her with concern.

"I'll go see what's wrong," Anne said as she stood to follow Nicolette.

"I'm coming too," Rebecca said getting up and following Anne out the hall.

The two friends weren't sure where Nicolette went but stopped first at the bathroom across the hallway from the entrance to the great hall.

"Nic," Anne said as she pushed open the door. They were accosted by retching sounds coming from one of the stalls. "Nic, where are you?"

Rebecca pointed to the feet sticking out from under the stall doors, and the two girls went and pushed on the door.

As they pushed the door open they saw Nicolette was leaned over the toilet coughing. Anne reached forward and pulled her friends hair back out of her face as Rebecca kneeled next to her and rubbed her back.

"Thanks," Nicolette whispered sitting back on her heels taking some deep breaths. "I feel better now."

"Yeah," Anne asked. "Because now, I don't feel so hot."

Nicolette looked up at Anne apologetically.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, let's just get you cleaned up," Anne said as she helped Nicolette stand.

The three girls walked to the sinks and Nicolette washed out her mouth and washed her hands before any thing else was said.

"So," Rebecca said giving Anne a look.

"What's going on with you and Oliver," Anne asked winking at Rebecca.

"Oh," Nicolette said smiling into the mirror. "Well we talked a little between the meetings with Dumbledore and our parents."

"Yeah," Rebecca said trying to prod for more information.

"He loves me."

Anne laughed and Rebecca's smile grew.

"I knew it," Anne said. "So does that mean you two are a couple?"

"Well we didn't get all the details worked out yet but," Nicolette said shyly. "I think so."

"YEA!" Anne said happily.

"Well," Nicolette said. "Believe it or not I am now starving and lunch is almost over so can we please go eat."

The three girls left the bathroom happily making their way back to their friends.

"Are you okay," Oliver whispered to Nicolette sat down.

"Much better," she said as she began piling food on her plate. "Yum, I'm starving."

"I thought that you weren't feeling well," he asked her.

"That problem took care of itself," she said with a look that told him more than he wanted to know.

"Yum," he said sarcastically making her laugh. "So what other tasty events do we have to look forward too before this is over?"

"You know," she said looking at him. "I'm not real sure; maybe I should ask Madame Pomfrey."

"No," he said as she began eating her food. "We can, after Transfiguration."

She smiled at him. Now that she knew how he felt she was glad he wanted to be apart of this.

"So Oliver," Stewart said. "Her father didn't kill you. That must be a relief."

"Yeah," Oliver said. "A bit."

"He wasn't the one I was worried about," Nicolette said.

Oliver chuckled.

"Explain," Brandon said.

"Our mothers," Nicolette responded. "Though if you remember I told you that dad would be fine as long as he thought I was, mum on the other hand. I love her but…"

"I wasn't sure who was going to murder one of us first," Oliver told their friends. "I have never seen my mum that upset."

"Hey we need to get to class," Lacey said standing up.

The group of friends gathered their bags and left the hall.

"Nikki, do you need me to carry that," Oliver asked.

"No," Nicolette said with a smile. "I'm fine."

"You're sure, no nausea or dizziness?"

"I'm fine Oliver," she said. "Really, I'm fine now."

"Ollie?"

"Amber," Oliver said turning to the girl who had approached them. "How's it going munchkin?"

"Good, Ollie. Um, I have a question for you."

"Okay."

"Are you holding try outs this year?"

"No," Oliver said. "All the positions on the team are filled. But you know that first years can't tryout any way."

"Oh," Amber said. "I know I have a friend who wanted to know."

"Okay, well let them know that there will only be one spot open next year," he told her. "I'm the only one leaving the team."

"I will, thanks Ollie," Amber said as she turned and ran down the hall. 

"Well," Anne said. "My sister's a little odd."

"Oh," Nicolette said. "I bet she had her reasons, like I think she has a crush on 'Ollie.'" She smiled deviously at Oliver.

"There is a reason that she is the only one to call me Ollie," he said turning back to Nicolette.

"Oh yeah," Nicolette said as they started walking again. "Why is that?"

"Because he loves her," Anne said. "She's been his favorite since she was born. My parents always wanted Oliver and I to get together but since Amber was five they gave up on that. They have been pretty sure that he would wait for Amber."

"Not waiting," Oliver said. "She's a sweet kid, but," he put his arm around Nicolette as they walked into Professor McGonagall's office. "I'm taken."

Nicolette smiled at him as she put her stuff down on the desk next to him.

"Hey Stewart," Anne said turning to her boyfriend who was next to her. "Why don't you say things like that to me?"

"Because love," Stewart said. "It's understood. Besides half of the student body isn't in love with me."

"Oh," Anne said with a nod. "Yes, that's right Nic is going to have to beat his admirers off with a stick, starting with Suzanne."

"Suzanne is not going to be a problem," Nicolette said turning to her friend. "I told you that."

"Good Afternoon class," Professor McGonagall said as she walked into the room. "Today we are going to talk about changing inanimate objects into living organisms. Many of you may remember your first day in my class where I showed you the depths of Transfiguration by changing by desk into a pig."

Nicolette began to zone out. She had read so much of the book over the last month that she had already tried this spell with pretty close to perfect results.

Nicolette pulled out a roll of parchment and began to write a letter. As class went on Nicolette's letter got longer. Oliver nudged her to get her attention and as she looked up she found Professor McGonagall standing in front of her.

"I'm sorry," Nicolette whispered trying to put her note away.

"I think that we should all hear what you think is more important than my class," Professor McGonagall said as she held her hand out. Nicolette put the letter in Professor McGonagall's hand as she looked down into her lap.

Professor McGonagall looked down at the letter and saw who it was addressed to. She gave the letter back to Nicolette.

"I need to see you after class Miss Deloncre," McGonagall turned on her heels and went back to her lecture on inanimate transfiguration. Oliver looked at Nicolette shocked that McGonagall didn't read the letter like she always does when she finds her students not paying attention. He pulled the letter over to him.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wood – _

_ I wanted to apologize for things today. This is not something I ever thought that I would have to deal with while still at Hogwarts and I never thought that Oliver would be apart of it._

_I am sorry this happened this way. Oliver is a good man and that is because of you. I hope that you won't be angry with him. He loves you both and he will need you over the coming months._

_Neither of knows what to expect._

_I understand if you both hate me. I can honestly say I never thought I would be here._

_I love your son. I never thought that he could love me back._

_We did not intend for any of this to happen. I was freaked out by the Dementors on the train and someone had firewhiskey in the common room and well. I just want you to know that it was an accident._

_Oliver didn't take advantage of me. It was more of I took advantage of him. Loving him is something I have been doing for a while and I think that with the firewhiskey I could not control showing him how I felt and he had too much firewhiskey too and things got out of control._

_I'd never forgive myself if Oliver lost you two because of my stupidity. Please, please don't be mad at him. I have tried to tell him that he can go on with his life and I won't blame him. He won't though. _

That was where the letter stopped. Oliver looked up at Nicolette surprised that she was making a plea at forgiveness from his parents for him. She told his parents more than they had this morning. Of course their parents were a little shocked and forgot to ask some of the questions that she answered in this letter.

"Alright," McGonagall said. "I think that covers everything for today, we will see who can perform the spell next class, you may go. Miss Deloncre?"

"Go on," Oliver told Nicolette as they stood. "I'll get your stuff and wait for you."

"Thanks," she said before turning and going to McGonagall's desk.

As she stopped in front on the desk McGonagall looked up.

"I understand that you are in a unique situation," McGonagall said quietly. "But you still need to pay attention in class. Now, I'm not going to give you detention today because of this morning, but don't let me catch you not paying attention again."

"Yes ma'am," Nicolette said.

"Nicolette, I am here if you need to talk. I don't want your grades to drop because of this so please come to me if you or Oliver needs help."

"Thanks."

"You may go," McGonagall said looking behind Nicolette. "Oliver looks a little worried back there." 

"Thank you," Nicolette said before heading out the door and to Oliver.

"Everything okay," he whispered as he took her hand and led them from the class.

"Yeah," Nicolette said trying to take her bag from Oliver. "Hey Sean, I need to talk to you. Oliver! Give me my bag."

"No," he said keeping it on his shoulder. "I've got it."

"What's up," Sean asked as Nicolette and Oliver came up to where he had stopped when Nicolette called at him.

"Oliver could you give me my bag," she asked as they stopped walking.

"Nope," he said with a smirk. "Try something else."

"Fine," she said. "Then at least go away, I'll meet you in the common room."

"Okay," Oliver said with a bit of confusion.

"Oliver," she said as he was walking away. "Are we still going to see Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm waiting on you."

Nicolette smiled and looked at Sean.

"Come my dear," she linked her arm in his and began walking. "I have a question that I need to ask. I don't want there to be lots of people around when I ask it."

"Look Nic, Oliver is my friend. As much as we may love each other we can't be together," he said teasingly.

"You prat," she said with a smile. "I have discovered some information that you may or may not be interested in, would you like to tease me or would you like to hear it?"

"Hum," he said thoughtfully. "Let's hear it, but I reserve the right to tease you after."

She smiled at him. As serious as Sean was, he could always make her smile.

"There is someone I know who likes you."

"But Anne, Rebecca and Lacey all have boyfriends."

"Okay first, yes THEY do. Second, I have more friends than the three of them, and I didn't even say it was a friend. You said you would tease AFTER." She narrowed her eyes at him as the continued down the hall.

"Okay sorry," he said throwing his hands in the air. "So who is …," the realization dawning on him. "Suzanne?"

Nicolette nodded slowly.

"Oh," he said.

"What do you think?"

"Well, I thought she wanted Oliver. But I don't think that I …"

"You don't what?"

"I like someone else," he told her. "She's not a Gryffindor but I think that you would like her."

"Oh," Nicolette said, she could see the entrance to the common room ahead. "Who is she?"

"Primrose."

"Rose? Parkinson?" she asked. "She's a Ravenclaw right," he nodded. "She nice but wasn't her family a supporter of you-know-who?"

"Yeah," he told her. "But I don't think she's like that. She just seems different."

"Do you talk to her a lot?"

"No, I wish I did."

"You should try," Nicolette said before she gave the password to the fat lady and entered the common room.

"I'm sorry Nic," Sean said taking her hands and turning her to him. "But Oliver loves you and he's my friend, I can't do that to him." He looked up and found Oliver, Stewart and Anne looking at him with knowing smirks. "Oh Oliver," he dropped Nicolette's hands and stepped back. "Sorry, Nicolette was just telling me how much she loves me."

"Shut up," Nicolette said as she punched him gently in the chest and walked over to Oliver. "Can I have my bag now?"

"Sure but I don't know why you want it, I think Anne putting on your bed."

"Oliver," Nicolette said. "I can carry my own bag, and even walk it up the stairs."

"Hum," Oliver said. "It didn't look like that last night."

"Shut up," she said with furrowed brows knowing that he was right.

"Come on," Anne said. "Let's go to dinner."

"Oliver and I have an errand to run," Nicolette said. "Will you save us seats?"

"Yeah," Anne said with a look of concern. "Is everything okay?" 

"Yeah," Nicolette said as Oliver and Stewart started walking to the portrait hole. "I'll tell you about it later, Oliver asked a question that I didn't know the answer to, so…" Nicolette raised her eyebrows hoping that Anne caught on to her meaning so she didn't need to give more explanation.

"Oh," Anne said. "Well what did McGonagall say?"

"That I need to pay attention in her class."

Anne smiled. All the Professors had told Nicolette that at some point in their seven years at Hogwarts.

Nicolette and Anne followed Oliver and Stewart two floors down when Oliver turned to the girls.

"Nikki come on, let's leave them here and go see Madame Pomfrey."

"Okay," she said as she and Anne stopped next to the boys. Oliver took her hand and they said bye. They walked over a hall and entered the hospital wing.

_Please review_


	19. Chapter 19

"Is everything alright Miss Deloncre?"

"Oh, yes. Oliver and I just had some questions."

"Oh, alright," Madame Pomfrey said as she set the potions down that she had been sorting through in the cabinet. "Why don't we go into my office?"

Nicolette and Oliver followed Madame Pomfrey into her office and sat in the chairs she had.

"What can I do for you?"

"Well," Nicolette started looking at Oliver. "We don't really know what to expect with all of this. Our mothers aren't close enough for us to ask them questions so…"

Pomfrey nodded for her to continue.

"What else should I expect, I mean I threw up at lunch but was starving. Is it going to be like that the whole time?"

"She's also had more dizzy moments, do I need to make sure I'm with her all the time so she doesn't fall or will it pass?"

"Could you tell Oliver that I can carry my own books, I'm not fragile."

"Okay," Madame Pomfrey said holding her hands up. "Let's slow down. Okay, first question. The reality is that I can't be sure of what you can expect. Every woman and pregnancy is different. You could experience the nausea and dizziness the entire time, or it could stop when your first trimester is over. You could even have lower back pain. Mr. Wood," Madame Pomfrey said turning to Oliver. "She is right. She can carry her books for now. She may have a time where she can't so let her carry her own books if she wants. I can get you some books, that we don't keep in the library, on pregnancy, but Miss Deloncre, may I suggest you write your mother. Often times a woman's pregnancy is similar to her own mother's. And Mr. Wood, be there for her but don't suffocate her. This will not be easy for either of you but you are welcome here anytime you have a question and Mr. Wood is welcome to accompany you when you need to come to an appointment Miss Deloncre."

"Thank you," Nicolette said.

"Now if you don't have any more questions, you should go to dinner. Make sure you eat well, you are eating for the baby too."

"Thanks Madame Pomfrey," Oliver said as he and Nicolette stood and left the office.

"Well," Nicolette said when they had left the hospital wing. "She didn't really tell us anything, did she?"

"No," Oliver said. "But after dinner you should write to your mum. And Nikki, don't send that letter to my mum. They were upset today. I think that she would be worried if she thought that you thought that they were going to abandon me. They love me but Nikki they love you too. I told you my mum thought I had a girlfriend this summer because of Suzanne and her owls, but I didn't tell you that she was upset with me when she knew it wasn't you."

"Your mum DID love me," Nicolette said sadly. "She doesn't now. Think about it Oliver. You're going to miss out on all of the things you should be doing. What about Quidditch, you can't be both a father and a professional Quidditch player."

"Why not," he asked. "What about Alfred Winzel, he plays for Puddlemere. He has a wife and TWO children. I can do it if I want to and Nikki, I WANT to."

"But Oliver-"

"No Nikki," Oliver pulled her to a stop and stepped in front of her. "I can understand your apprehension but I am telling you that I can do it. I won't loose focus in a game and I will be there, more than a father with an office job would be. Please let me do this, let me be apart of your life. Please," he begged.

"Oliver I want you to be there," she whispered to him trying not to cry. "But I don't want you to miss out on your life."

"Nikki," he said. "Do you not see that this is my life?" He took her face in his hands and made her look at him. "I'm not going to miss out on THIS. I can give up Quidditch, but I," he swallowed his emotions before continuing. "I can't give up you and this baby. I have known that I loved you for a long time now, once I heard, I knew that I loved this baby too."

Nicolette had tears falling down her face as she listened to him.

"This won't be an easy year on us, but we can do this. You can get the marks you need to go to healer training, and I can get on a team. And if we both happen to need to work at the same time, I have no doubt that once the grandmums see their grandchild we will be having to beat them off so we can have time with the baby." Nicolette smiled at this. "Please know that I will do everything possible for you and my baby."

Nicolette put her arms around Oliver. As he moved his hands from her face to hold her to him she buried her face in his shoulder. He rubbed her back as she tried to calm down. She had never felt this way before, she felt safe and loved. Only her father had ever made her feel both at the same time before and this was different. She was glad it was Oliver who had their arms around her right now.

"Nikki," Oliver whispered in her ear. "You need to eat something before dinner is over." He leaned back and looked at her face. "Do you need to go to the girls' room first?"

Nicolette nodded and they continued down to the hall stopping at the girl's bathroom just outside of the great hall. After she went in and rinsed her face they went and sat with their friends.

"Everything okay," Anne asked from where she and Stewart were sitting across from them.

"Everything is wonderful," Nicolette said with a smile, making Oliver smile.

"Hey Mate," Stewart said. "Potter asked if you were going to start practice on Monday."

"Oh," Oliver said as he began to pile food on his plate. "Yeah, where did he go?"

"He's down there with Weasley's brother," Stewart said as he pointed down the table.

"POTTER," Oliver hollered getting Harry's attention. "Monday, in two weeks, at 6pm."

"Thanks Wood," Harry said turning back to his friends.

"I've got to work on some plays, see if I can get Bell and Spinnet on a trick play," Oliver said.

"Hey Nic," Stewart said. "Have you finished the Runes homework," Nicolette nodded while she ate. "Can you help me with it after dinner?"

"Sure," Nicolette said. "Hey where's Sean?"

Anne pointed behind Nicolette and Oliver. As Nicolette turned she found Sean just behind them at the Ravenclaw table with a girl she thought was Primrose Parkinson. Sean looked up and waved at her. Nicolette winked before turning back around.

"Oh dear," she whispered. "Where is Suzanne?"

"She ate really fast," Rebecca said. "She said she didn't feel well and went to the dorms."

"Oh," Nicolette said regretfully. "We may need to go see her before we start on school work tonight."

"Why," Oliver asked puzzled as to why Nicolette and her friends should care.

"Because," Nicolette said. "When a girl thinks her heart has been broken she needs people to help comfort her."

"She should get over it," Anne said. "Oliver has bee-"

"Not Oliver, Sean," Nicolette said.

"Oh."

"I'm confused," Oliver said. "Because what was it, Saturday? I found her sleeping in my bed in her underwear."

"WHAT!" Nicolette looked at him. "She didn't tell us that part. She just said that she accidentally fell asleep waiting for you. If she does it again, let her know she needs to find another dorm to sleep in because I'll kill her," Nicolette said calmly before turning back to her food, leaving Oliver stunned.

"Little possessive there aren't we," James asked.

"No," Nicolette said. "I'd kill her even if I didn't love Oliver." Nicolette's eyes got big as she realized what she had revealed to their friends.

"Oh," Brandon said from next to her. "You love him. Well does he at least return the sentiment or do I need to kill him in his sleep for stupidity?"

"Nope," Oliver said smiling, excited that she had said it to everyone. "I love her too."

"So," Lacey asked tentatively. "Will we be hearing bells anytime soon then?"

Nicolette looked at Oliver. Now that he had told her he loved her, her reasons for not wanting to get married no longer existed. Oliver winked at her before he answered for them.

"We're not sure yet, but we'll let you know."

"Nicolette Danielle Deloncre, if you get married and THEN tell me about it, we will have some serious problems."

"Its okay Anne," Nicolette said with a smile. "You would be the first person I would tell."

"HEY," Rebecca said indignantly.

"You would be there too," Nicolette said. "You to Lac."

"And what about me," Oliver said. "Shouldn't I be the first person you tell?"

"Depends," Nicolette said with a smirk. "Maybe not, it'll be up to Brandon."

"YES," Brandon said throwing his arms in the air. "She's going to marry me."

Oliver laughed at their teasing.

"Okay," he said. "But you have to tell my parents. My mother would kill me if I let you marry someone else."

"Well," Nicolette said after laughing. "I really think that I should be the first person I tell, so this conversation is kind of trivial."

"Yeah," Anne said. "Besides we'll all know shortly after you to get engaged anyways."

"Seriously could we talk about something else," Nicolette said. "Oliver and I have only been together a couple of hours. I think that we are getting ahead of ourselves."

"Nikki's right," Oliver said putting his hand on her thigh to soothe her. "Besides, we all know Anne and Stewart are going to get engaged before anyone else."

Anne blushed as Stewart looked down at his plate.

"Oh-dear-Merlin," Nicolette said looking at Anne. "You're not?"

"No," Anne said. "But we have talked about it."

"Yeah," Stewart said. "And like Nicolette said, we are getting ahead of ourselves, we have a test in potions on Friday and I would bet none of us will be engaged by then."

"He's right," Lacey said. "Let's go study."

The friends left the hall talking and laughing as they made their way to Gryffindor tower.

"Hey guys," Sean said as he met up with them on a hall a few floors up.

"Where have you been," Nicolette asked.

"Taking care of that thing we talked about earlier," he said.

"Oh? And how did it go," Nicolette asked with a knowing smile.

"I have a girlfriend," he said with a grin.

"Who," Oliver asked.

"Rose Parkinson."

"Isn't…"

"Yes Stewart, her family was supporters of you know who but she doesn't agree with them. She hasn't been to see them in over a year," Sean said defensively.

"I was going to ask if she was the one with the younger sister in Slytherin," Stewart said slowly.

"Oh yeah sorry," Sean said. "What are we doing tonight?"

"Stewart and I are going to go over runes," Nicolette said. "And I think Anne said something about the potions test Friday."

As Nicolette saw the fat lady come into view she felt the castle give a lurch. She reached out for Oliver to steady herself.

"Nikki," Oliver said with concern.

"Oliver," she whispered as she wobbled again.

Oliver caught her as she fainted.

"Shit," he said shifted her and carried her quickly to Madame Pomfrey. He didn't look to see if anyone was following. "Madame Pomfrey," he yelled as he pushed the hospital wing door open with his back. "Madame Pomfrey help!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Mr. Wood? What happened?"

"I don't know," he said as he lay Nicolette down on the bed that Madame Pomfrey directed him too. "She just fainted. You have to make this stop."

"Okay dear," she said. "Why don't you go wait outside?" 

"No, I'm not leaving her."

Madame Pomfrey looked at the student who was disobeying her.

"Fine, but you must stay out of the way."

Oliver nodded and stepped back a step from the bed. He watched Nicolette as Madame Pomfrey bustled around the room getting potions and objects that she needed.

"Why is this happening," he whispered.

"She'll be fine, Mr. Wood," Madame Pomfrey said. "We need to wait for her to wake up now."

Oliver stepped up to the bed and took her hand.

"Madame Pomfrey, do you have some parchment and a quill I can borrow?"

Madame Pomfrey stepped over to a table in the corner of the room and retrieved the items he asked for.

"Let me know when she wakes," Madame Pomfrey said before going into her office.

Not letting go of Nicolette he arranged the parchment so he could write a letter.

_Mrs. Deloncre – _

_I am sorry that I am the one writing you. Nikki was supposed to but she can't at the moment. Madame Pomfrey suggested that we write you and ask you about when you were pregnant with Nikki. She says that Nikki's may be similar to the way yours was. I'm worried about Nikki. She is fainting and I don't know what to do for her. I'm scared and any insight you may have on what is going on will help us. Please let us know_

_Oliver_

"Oliver."

Oliver looked up at Stewart who was standing next to him.

"Will you do me a favor? Owl this please," Oliver said as he handed the letter to Stewart.

"Is she okay," Anne asked from the other side of the bed Nicolette was laying on.

"Madame Pomfrey says she'll be fine."

Oliver sat watching Nicolette for another hour before she woke.

"Oliver," Nicolette said groggily.

"I'm here love," he said standing so she could see him without moving.

"Where am I?"

"Hospital wing."

"Why?"

"You fainted again."

"Oh."

"I need to get Madame Pomfrey; will you be alright for a moment?"

Nicolette nodded and Oliver kissed her forehead before going to get the nurse.

"Miss Deloncre," Madame Pomfrey said as she came into the room from her offices. "You are scaring Mr. Wood, you should stop doing this."

"What happened?"

"I don't know yet dear," Madame Pomfrey told her. "We can check now that you're awake." Madame Pomfrey muttered to herself as she waved her wand over Nicolette for a few minutes. "Hum, okay," she said. "It looks like the baby's magical supply is trying to grow too quickly. I have a potion that I can give you that may reduce how often you faint but I can't guarantee that you won't have periods of light headedness."

"Any thing that will help, she'll take," Oliver said from behind Madame Pomfrey.

"Miss Deloncre," Madame Pomfrey said. "I think you need to humor this young man for a few days, he has been very worried."

Nicolette nodded with tears pooling in her eyes.

"Dear, it's alright now." Madame Pomfrey patted Nicolette's knee as she walked away to get the potion.

Nicolette looked at Oliver and saw he was near tears as well. She reached her hand out for him and he walked to her taking her offered hand.

"Merlin Nikki," he said looking down at her. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm scared."

Oliver leaned down and kissed her.

"You're alright now, but you better not do this again."

She smiled at him.

"Alright," Madame Pomfrey said as she came back with the potion. "Take this, give it five minutes and then you can go. Don't stay up late and don't over exert yourself. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am," she said taking the potion and drinking it before Madame Pomfrey left Nicolette and Oliver alone again.

Oliver sat back down in the chair holding her hand.

"So," Oliver said. "About the conversation at dinner."

"You mean the one about us getting married."

"Yeah," he said looking into her sea green eyes. "Can we talk about it?"

"I guess."

"So tell me again why you don't want to get married?"

"I… well; I'm worried that you might change your mind."

"First," he said. "I'm not sure how much you know about magical marriages, but it's not like a muggle marriage. You can't cancel it, or what's it called, divorce. It's binding and eternal."

"Are you sure you want me forever?"

"And then some, but what about you," he asked. "What if you change your mind?"

"Not possible," she said.

He smiled.

"Then what's your reason?"

"No one's asked me I guess."

"Really," he said with anticipation. "That's it?"

Nicolette nodded.

"Okay," he said leaning down and giving her a kiss before sitting back down.

Nicolette looked at him expectantly.

"Alright you two, you can go," Madame Pomfrey said sticking her head out of her office."

Oliver helped Nicolette out of the bed and left, taking her hand as they walked out.

"Where is everybody," she asked trying to make conversation. She didn't understand, she thought that he was going to ask her.

"Oh, Stewart and Anne came in to check on you a bit ago but I convinced them to go tell everyone you were okay. They also sent a letter that I wrote to your mother."

"Oliver," Nicolette admonished. "She's going to be worried."

"I am too," he said. "But I didn't mention how bad the fainting has been, I just asked her to tell us about when she was pregnant. Bit odd for me to ask her that but I'd do anything for you."

"Thanks," she said. They continued on to the Gryffindor common room in silence, still confused with Oliver's behavior.

"Nicolette," Anne said as they entered the common room a few minutes later. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "I'll tell you and Becs about it later."

"Okay." 

"Where are you going," Oliver asked her as she walked away from him.

"I was told that I need to go to bed and get to sleep," she told him slightly annoyed with him.

"But I can't go with you," he whispered as he stepped closer to her.

Nicolette smiled.

"I don't see why that's a problem," she said. She left him in the common room and went upstairs, Anne and Rebecca following her.

"Hey Lac," she said as she opened her door. "How come you're up here and Brandon is downstairs?"

"We had a fight."

"Why," Nicolette asked sitting on her bed.

"I don't know it was stupid," she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said as Anne and Rebecca sat down on their beds.

"So tell us what happened," Anne demanded of Nicolette.

"Oh, well Madame Pomfrey said that the baby's magic is trying to grow too fast so she gave me a potion to help."

"Umhum," Rebecca said. "And what happened with Oliver?"

"What do you mean?"

"She means that you just left him down there and he was shocked by it," Anne said.

"Oh, well I'm a little confused by him right now. Maybe a little upset with him too."

"What happened," Lacey asked.

"Well," Nicolette started slowly. "We talked about why we weren't getting married."

"Why are we having to beat this out of you," Anne said with a little agitation. "Why aren't you getting married?"

"Well, this morning I told him we couldn't get married because he didn't love me and that wasn't fair to him," Nicolette responded quietly. "But in the hospital wing he said that wasn't a reason anymore so he wanted to know what my reason was now… I told him because no one had asked me, and he said 'Really, that's it?' And nothing," she threw her hands up in frustration. "He hasn't said anything else about it. I thought that he would ask me but nothing. I guess I'm just a little disappointed. Though I don't know why, last night I was sad that I was pregnant with his baby and he didn't love me. Tonight I know he loves me so that should be enough, why isn't it?"

"Because," Anne said. "We always want more."

"So," Rebecca said as she got up and walked over to Nicolette. "You're okay?"

"Yeah, Madame Pomfrey said that it could occur more, and Oliver wrote to my mum so see what her pregnancy was like, Madame Pomfrey said mine could be similar so we'll see what she says."

"Alright," Rebecca said turning back to the door. "I'm going back downstairs."

"Okay, night," Nicolette said as Rebecca shut the door. "You're not going back to Stewart?"

"No," Anne said as she stood and began to get her things to get ready for bed. "I think that he may need to talk with Oliver."

"Hey Lac," Nicolette said realizing something. "Where's Suzanne?"

"Oh, well she was here when we got back earlier but she left, I think she went to see Landon."

Nicolette was disappointed, she knew that Suzanne was upset about Sean but she thought the girl would have taken some of her advice.

"Oh well," she said dejectedly. "I'm going to bed."

Nicolette, Anne and Lacey got changed and went to bed.

_Please Review!_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Good Morning," Nicolette said as she came down the stairs from the girl's dorm the next morning.

"Morning," Stewart said as he and Oliver turned from where they were sitting on the couch.

"Hey," Oliver said standing as she came to him. He put his hands on her hips and kissed her on the check. "Are we okay?"

"Yeah," she said with confusion on her face. "Why?"

"I got the impression last night that I did something wrong."

"Oh," she said looking down at their feet. "It was nothing, I was being stupid."

"Nikki," Oliver said as he pulled her away from people over into the corner. "It's not stupid if it mattered to you. What did I do?"

"Well," she said still not looking at him. "It was more what you didn't do but when I thought about it, I was okay with you not doing it."

"Oh," he said. "You mean the conversation in the hospital wing?"

"Yeah."

He lifted his hand from her hip and lifted her chin up so he could see her eyes.

"I didn't want to ask you when you knew it was coming, I want it to be special and I need a ring before I can ask you anyways."

She smiled at him glad that he wanted it to be special.

"HEY, you two either get a room or let's go to breakfast," Stewart fussed.

"We're coming," Oliver said taking her hand and reaching for her bag.

"I've got it," she said keeping her shoulder from him. "Remember what Madame Pomfrey said."

"Yes, but she also said that you should do what I say for a few days."

"Fine," Nicolette said handing him the bag as they exited the common room. "But I'm not sitting next to you at breakfast then." Nicolette stepped a little fast to catch up the Anne and James. "Hey."

"Hey," James said. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine, except that Oliver won't let me carry my own books." 

"NIC," Anne scolded. "You fainted yesterday. He has a right to be worried, Merlin I'm worried."

"Whatever," she responded rolling her eyes. She knew that he had a right to be scared but she didn't like to be treated like she was fragile.

Nicolette made her way to the great hall not speaking to anyone else before sitting at the table between Anne and James, which was across from Oliver.

The group ate quietly and was joined by Percy and Suzanne a short time later.

"Morning," Percy said as he sat next to Oliver.

"Good Morning Percy," Nicolette said overly friendly. "How is Penelope doing?"

"Well," Percy said. "I'm not real sure, she broke up with me."

"Oh," she said sympathetically. "What did you do?"

Oliver looked up at her.

"What makes you think he did something," he asked her.

"SHE broke up with him," Nicolette told him. "If she had done something then HE would have broken up with her."

"I didn't do anything; she said that she needed to focus on school so that she could get a job at the ministry." Percy was confused as to why Oliver and Nicolette were disagreeing about his relationship. "I think she just got scared, we talked this summer about getting married and I think it may have freaked her out. But she is the one who brought it up. I'm okay if we don't get married right away."

"Did you tell her that," Anne asked.

"No."

"Girls like to know what you think," James said. "You should tell her."

"Okay," Anne said standing up. "I'm going to class, anyone coming with me?"

Nicolette swallowed her last gulp of pumpkin juice before standing and following Anne, James and Oliver just behind them.

When they got to the greenhouse they went in and sat at their table.

"So," Oliver said as he pulled out his chair. "I get to sit next to you? You're not going to refuse to sit by me in class too?"

"Oliver, shut up and sit down," Nicolette told him.

As he sat and put their bags on the table, Nicolette put her hand in his lap. He looked down at her hand before taking it in his and smiling.

The class passed without incident. The four left the greenhouses laughing at the Coliedus Fulnga that had sneezed orange snot on Flint when he tried to separate it from its pod.

They joined their friends again for lunch before heading to Defense with Professor Lupin.

"How are you feeling today Nicolette," Professor Lupin asked as the group of Gryffindors came into the room laughing.

"Oh," Nicolette said blushing. "I'm fine."

"I hear you had an eventful Friday followed by an eventful Monday. You made me wish I was a seventh year Gryffindor in potions," he told her with a smirk.

"It was brilliant," Brandon said as he put an arm around Nicolette. "She aimed perfectly."

"I didn't aim. I swear it was an accident."

"Well either way I hope today's class goes better," Lupin said smiling.

"Me too, I actually like your class," she told him as she sat next to Oliver.

"Alright today we are going over the Patroni charm. I hope none of you need it but given our visitors, you might."

This class was very informative for Nicolette, as it usually was.

After class she and Oliver went to Gryffindor tower so Oliver could leave their bags. He took her bag to his dorm telling her that she could have it after dinner. After dinner when they got back to the tower they sat in the common room talking with their friends before Nicolette decided she needed to study.

"Okay Oliver," she said from the couch she were she was sitting with Oliver. "I want my bag please."

"You have to come with me then," he told her as he stood up. She rolled her eyes and followed him up the stairs to the boy's dorm. When they got to the seventh year boy's dorm Oliver shut the door behind them, leaving them alone in the room.

"Hi," he said as he walked up to her. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. "I have wanted to do this ALL day," he leaned down and captured her lips with his, wrapping his arms around her.

Nicolette smiled into the kiss as she tangled her hands through his hair. She moaned as his hands slid across her backside, before she quickly pushed him away breathing heavily.

"Nikki," Oliver asked concerned with her reaction. "What is it?"

Nicolette kept her eyes closed as she tried to calm her breathing.

"Nikki love, talk to me."

"I remembered some."

"You what?"

Nicolette looked up at him.

"I remembered some of that night."

"Oh," he said. "What did you remember?"

"Your hands."

"What?"

"Your hands are amazing."

He smiled as she straightened under his gaze.

"Oh they are?"

She stepped back into his arms kissing him. She quickly deepened the kiss as he ran his hands over her butt again. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him as she tried to taste more of him. He moaned into her mouth, enticed by her ferociousness.

His legs bumped into something hard, he fell back landing on his butt on a trunk that was at the foot of someone's bed. He found the hem of her shirt and ran his hands over the bare skin of her back before he reached up to her bra and unsnapped the garment.

*8*8*

_So this will likely be the last update until after the holidays, but maybe I will get more written over the holidays so I can update more. I have a lot of end of the year work stuff so it may be the second week in Jan… Don't kill me. Anyways, please review… I love my regular reviewers!_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Whoa!" A voice said as they came in the room, causing Nicolette and Oliver to jump apart to find Stewart standing in the doorway. "I would think that you two would know better than that."

Nicolette and Oliver didn't speak as Stewart walked over to his bed to get his Runes book. He turned and left not saying anything else to either person.

"Well," Nicolette said as she reached under her shirt and clasped her bra back. "I think that was a little embarrassing."

Oliver walked back to her putting his arms around her again.

"It was bound to happen at some point," he told her. "Stewart will be fine though."

"Yes well," she said as she relaxed into his embrace. "I think we should be more careful." 

"Nikki," he said. "What's going to happen that hasn't already?"

"No, that I'm not so worried about. It's the people walking in that I'm worried about."

"Hum," Oliver thought. "Well there may be something we can do about that later."

Nicolette furrowed her brow at him.

"Well, we should probably go down and study now."

Oliver grabbed their bags and they went down to the common room. Nicolette went and sat at a table, refusing to look at Stewart who was across the room when they came down the stairs.

"Nic," Stewart said as he walked up to the table. She looked up at him blushing. "Could you help me with the Runes tonight?"

Nicolette nodded. Oliver leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"It's okay, he won't be mean." He kissed her temple before turning to his own books.

"Now, I hope you can study without him kissing you," Stewart said as he sat down.

"Shut up Stewart," Anne said from across the room where she was sitting with her sister Amber.

"Anne," Suzanne called from the portrait hole. "Your brother is out here looking for you."

"Okay," she said standing up. "I'm coming." Anne and Amber went out in the hall to see Zacharias.

"Hey Suzanne," Nicolette said. "Do you want to study with us?"

"Sure," Suzanne said quietly. "I'll be right back." Suzanne went up the stairs, got her things and came back to sit with Nicolette and Stewart.

Nicolette sat with Stewart, Suzanne and Oliver studying Ancient Runes. Oliver was working on his muggle studies, just keeping close to her. She started to feel sick and put her hand on her stomach to try and soothe it.

"Nikki," Oliver said noticing her movements. "Are you okay?" He rubbed her back.

"Yeah," she said. "I just feel a little sick. I'll be fin-'' she jumped up. "Right back," Nicolette ran to the girl's bathroom across the common room. Oliver followed her stopping at the door.

"Hey Becca," he called to his friend. "Will you see if anyone else is in there?"

Rebecca walked over and opened the door and looked around the bathroom.

"Just your girlfriend," she told him.

Oliver pushed past her to go to Nicolette.

"Becca don't let anyone else in here," he said before turning to find Nicolette in one of the stalls bent over the toilet throwing up. He knelt beside her holding her hair out of her face and rubbing her back. The two sat there for a few minutes while Nicolette sat back on her knees taking a few deep breaths.

"Sorry," she whispered to him. He sat down and pulled her into his lap rubbing her back.

"Don't be sorry," he told her. "I wish there was something I could do. I hate that you are feeling this bad and I don't feel any different."

"I'll be okay," she said lifting her head from his shoulder looking at him. "As long as I have you with me, I can do this."

He leaned forward to kiss her and she moved her face so he kissed her forehead. He looked at her questioningly.

"I need to clean my mouth, and then you can kiss me. I feel gross."

She stood and offered Oliver a hand to help him. As he stood, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the sensitive place behind her ear.

"Why were we so stupid as to wait until our last year here to tell each other how we feel?"

"I don't know love," he told her. "But I must say, 'better late than never.'"

"Yeah," she said as she moved from him to the sinks to clean up.

There was a knock on the door before Rebecca peeked in.

"Hey," she said. "Sorry, but there is an owl out here for you Oliver and it won't let us take the letter."

Oliver looked at Nicolette in the mirror.

"Go on," she reassured him. "I'm right behind you."

"Okay," he said as he stepped over and kissed her on the top of the head before going out into the common room.

"How are you feeling," Rebecca asked as she came to stand next to Nicolette.

"Better, I tend to feel better after I throw up."

"Oh well that's good I guess," Rebecca wasn't sure what to say to her friend.

"Yeah, I would prefer that it stop altogether. Come on, I should get back out there before Oliver gets worried."

Rebecca smiled at her and followed her into the common room.

"What is it," she asked Oliver as she sat in her seat next to him.

"Your mum sent us a letter back. Let's go somewhere we can read it," he stood taking the letter with him. "Stewart, stay down here until we get back. We're going to read this."

Stewart nodded as he looked up at his friends.

Nicolette and Oliver walked back up the stairs to the boy's dorm and sat on Oliver's bed.

"Okay," he started as he quickly read over the letter. "She says that her first trimester was the worst, she was weak and sick all the time. But she said the rest of the pregnancy was ideal. She said after she was so sick she didn't have any problems." He looked up at her from the letter.

"So how long is the first trimester?"

"She doesn't say," he told her. "Maybe we can ask Madame Pomfrey in the morning."

She nodded and he put his arm around her.

"You'll get through it, and that means there is an end to the fainting and I can deal with that as long as you're okay until then."

Oliver leaned back against the headboard of his bed pulling Nicolette with him. He sat there holding her in the quiet.

"We should probably go back downstairs," he said softly a while later. When Nicolette didn't respond he looked down to find that she had fallen asleep. He didn't want to wake her so he slid from under her and tucked her into his bed, before going downstairs to finish his potions work.

"Hey where's Nic," Anne asked as he stepped into the common room.

"She fell asleep and I didn't want to wake her."

Oliver stayed downstairs studying for an hour or so before he decided to go check on Nicolette. When he got upstairs he found she was still asleep. He lay down next to her; he just wanted to hold her for a few minutes. He closed his eyes loving having her in his arms. When he opened them again he found her pale green eyes looking back at him.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey," he leaned forward giving her a kiss.

"You should have woken me last night, made me go to my own dorm."

"Is it morning?"

She smiled at his early morning confusion.

"Yep, I should probably go to my room and get ready for class."

"You know," he said pulling her closer to him. "I could really get use to waking up with you every morning."

"Me too," she said with a smile.

"I love you Nikki," he whispered.

"Could you two shut up," Brandon said from across the room. "Some of us are trying to sleep."

Nicolette smiled and sat up.

"Sorry."

Nicolette kissed Oliver one more time before getting up and leaving the boy's dorms to go to her own. When she walked in her dorm she found all her roommates were still asleep. She got her things and went to take a shower unable to rid herself of her smile.

"Well good morning," a voice said from the other side of the stall door.

"Morning Anne," Nicolette said.

"How did you sleep," Anne asked knowingly.

"Perfectly."

"I hope that you don't get in trouble," Anne said. "McGonagall would not approve."

"I know, it was an accident and it won't happen again," Nicolette said turning the shower off. "Anne you know that nothing happened right?"

"It doesn't matter if anything happened, if McGonagall had found you, you would be in serious trouble."

"I know," Nicolette said as she opened the stall door and looked at her friend. "I'll be more careful."

Nicolette finished getting ready and went downstairs to find Oliver waiting on her. After giving him a kiss the two made their way downstairs to the great hall to eat breakfast.

As Anne and Stewart joined them, the morning mail flew into the hall.

"Mum sent a letter," Oliver said looking up at Nicolette.

"Well read it," she said.

Oliver unrolled the letter and moved closer to Nicolette so they could read together.

_Oliver – _

_Son, we wanted to make sure that you and Nicolette knew that we love you. We are not pleased with the situation but we will always be here for you. We have spent a lot of time with Katherine and Luc and we've decided that we will let the two of you make the decision but we want you to know that we are here for any advice you might need. Being a parent is not easy when you're out of school, it will be very difficult while in school. If you choose to get married we will help with any plans you need help with. The four of us would prefer that you marry but we know that it's your life. Katherine said that Nicolette was having some issues with the first trimester, it should pass after she gets to her third month. Be there for her son, it is no fun throwing up and if you think about it, you're the reason that she is sick, so be very sympathetic. Do everything you can for her. I know how you feel for her; I have for a few years now. And before you ask, a mother knows when her son has given away his heart, even if he doesn't realize it. If you two decide that you want to get married, know that you couldn't find a better girl out there. And if you would like I would be honored if she wore my mum's rings so just let me know and I will send them to you right away. Be safe no matter what you do, your father is still busy trying to track down this Black character and the sightings are close to Hogsmead. We love you and let Nicolette know we love her too._

_Love,_

_Your mother_

"Well," Nicolette said turning to her food. "When are you going to write her back?"

"While you're in class."

"Are you going to ask her to send them?"

Oliver looked at her, rolled up the parchment and put it in the pocket of his robes.

"Like I'm going to tell you."

The four friends had a long breakfast and went to sit by the lake before Nicolette and Stewart left for class.

The rest of the day passed without event. When Nicolette and Oliver bid each other goodnight, they went to their own beds.

_So sorry it took so long… first of the year is VERY busy for me at work. HOPEFULLY, updates will come faster, BUT we will have to see! Please review!_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Two weeks went by without much change, other than Oliver starting Quidditch practice three evenings a week. Nicolette usually watched unless she felt too sick. She only had one fainting spell in the two weeks and Oliver just held her in his arms in the common room until she woke.

On the Saturday two weeks before Halloween and the Hogsmead weekend, Oliver took Nicolette for a walk after dinner. They only walked to the courtyard, seeing as it was trying to snow outside.

"So," Nicolette said. "You've been acting odd today, what's going on?"

"Well, I'm a bit nervous."

"Why?"

"Because I want to do something and I'm worried the outcome won't be what I want."

"Oliver, love, what is it you want to do," she asked him worried because he was worried.

Oliver stopped walking and turned to her. He took a deep breath before he knelt down in front of her.

"I wanted to ask you something." He reached into the pocket of robes and pulled out a small box. "I love you more than I ever thought possible and these last few weeks with you have been amazing, but I don't want just a few weeks. I want forever. Nicolette Danielle Deloncre, will you marry me?"

Nicolette was momentarily speechless as tears made silent tracks down her face.

"Yes," she whispered as Oliver jumped up hugging her. He kissed her and then reached to put the ring on her finger.

"I was so worried, I know that we have talked about it and we're going to have a baby but I was convinced that you would still say no."

"I could never say no to you Oliver," she told him as she admired the ring on her hand. "When are we going to do it?"

"Well," he said. "I've been thinking about that, I think that we should do it over the Hogsmead visit. We can have our parents come up and our friends could be there. If it's too soon I understand but I just want to be married to you and Dumbledore said something about married student quarters and…" he took a deep breath. "I can wait if you want to though." He didn't really want to wait but he would do anything for her.

"I don't want to wait. Two weeks will be perfect." She smiled as he kissed her and hugged her spinning her around. "We should probably talk to Dumbledore so we can notify our parents and we need to tell everyone else. Oh Oliver," she kissed him again, so happy that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said setting her down holding her face. "You're right; we should go talk to Dumbledore."

The two walked hand in hand to the headmasters' office.

"Well," Nicolette said. "I think our parents will be happy."

He smiled.

"I must say, I'm more worried about you being happy," he squeezed her hand.

"As long as I have you," she told him smiling. "I will always be happy."

The two approached the statue in front of Dumbledore office and realized that they couldn't get in.

"Um," Oliver said. "We don't have the password but we need to speak with Professor Dumbledore."

The gargoyle moved and let them up the stairs. They made their way up to the door and knocked.

"Come in," the heard from the other side of the door.

"Good evening Professor," Oliver said.

"Good evening Mr. Wood, Miss Deloncre," Professor Dumbledore said from where he was sitting behind his desk. "What can I do for you this evening?"

"Well," Oliver said looking at Nicolette. "I've asked Nikki to marry me and she said yes."

"Well congratulations, but I assume that is not the only reason that you came to see me."

"No sir," Oliver said. "We have picked a date and hope that it's okay. We want to get married the weekend of the Hogsmead visit." He paused letting his comment set in, "I think that we both would prefer to be married before the baby arrives."

"I believe that can be arranged considering the circumstances. I will see if the room arrangements can be pushed forward."

"Do you know if it is possible for Nikki's family to come to Hogsmead?"

"Arrangements can be made. Let me see what I can do and I will let you know. Are there any students from Hogwarts you wish to be present?"

"Just our dorm mates," Nicolette said. "We would also like for you and Professor McGonagall to be there. But other than our mums and dads that's it. Neither of us have a lot of family left alive."

"Alright," Dumbledore said. "I will speak with your parents and have the arrangements made."

"Thank you Professor," Oliver said. "We had better go. We have some friends awaiting our return."

Nicolette and Oliver left the headmasters office and walked to the Gryffindor tower.

"So," Nicolette said. "Why are our friends 'awaiting our return?'"

"Because I told Stewart and Brandon what I was going to ask you and I'm sure they have told everyone else."

"You told Brandon?"

"I had to ask your brother for permission didn't I?"

Nicolette hugged Oliver's arm closer to her as she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you," she whispered.

He turned his face and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I love you too."

Oliver was right, standing outside of the entrance to the common room, they found Anne and Rebecca. When the girls saw the couple coming down the hall they froze looking at Nicolette who looked up at Oliver with a smile. He looked down at her and kissed her. The girls squealed and ran down the hall to the couple.

"Nicolette," Anne squealed, causing Nicolette and Oliver to break apart. "You said yes?"

Nicolette rolled her eyes.

"What else would I have said?"

Anne and Rebecca hugged their friend as the boys came out of the common room.

"So Oliver I hear you came back," Stewart said smiling as they approached the group. "We could hear in the common room, we thought we'd come see what all the noise was about."

"I think your girlfriend has lost it," Oliver said stepping away from the jumping girls. "You think I need to save Nikki yet?"

"No let them enjoy it, maybe they won't be so crazy when it happens to one of the others," Stewart said.

James, Stewart, Brandon and Oliver watched Nicolette, Anne and Rebecca giggle and chatter about things the boys couldn't understand.

"Hey," Lacey said walking up the hall behind them. "What's going on?"

Nicolette turned to her friend and smiled holding out her left hand. Lacey shrieked and joined the giggling girls.

"You know," Brandon started. "We are probably going to be caught by Mrs. Norris with all the noise these girls are making. We should probably get them in the common room at least."

"We each grab our own girl," James suggested.

The three other guys nodded their consent before stepping in to get their girlfriends attention.

Oliver stepped in between Nicolette and the girls and leaned down and kissed her. She was shocked a moment before she wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss running his tongue over her lips before she parted them deepening the kiss again.

A throat clearing brought the two back into the hall they were standing in. Oliver looked up breaking the kiss to find Professor McGonagall with a sour look on her face.

"I was coming to see the two of you, but this was not how I expected to see you," she said trying not to smile.

Nicolette buried her head in Oliver's chest. Oliver kept his arms around Nicolette as they stood there in front of McGonagall.

"Is there something you needed Professor," he asked noticing that all their friends had left the hall.

"Yes, actually," she said. "Professor Dumbledore has informed me of the plans you two have made for the Hogsmead visit. I wanted to know if there was anything special you might need for the event. I know that there is not a lot of time for planning but I thought that I would offer what help I can give."

Nicolette looked up, cheeks still a bit pink with embarrassment.

"Thank you Professor," she said. "I actually haven't given any thought to what we might need yet. This is all happening so fast. I need to write my mum too, can I get back to you on that. I've never planned a wedding, is a wizarding wedding different than a muggle one?"

"Only in words my dear," McGonagall said. "Have you thought about officiates?"

"No."

"Well if you don't know a specific one you want to use, you could always have the Headmaster perform the ceremony."

"He can do that?"

"Yes dear," McGonagall told her. "As a member of the Wizengamot he has that ability."

"Oh," Nicolette said. "Let me write to my mum and Mrs. Wood and see what they say. Oliver do you have anyone you know that you wanted to perform the ceremony?"

"As long as the ceremony is performed," he said smiling down at her. "I could care less if Snape did it."

"That is Professor Snape Mr. Wood," McGonagall said with a smirk.

"Sorry," Oliver said apologetically.

"Quite alright," she said. "Well if you don't have anything for me now, I should get back to grading papers. Come see me if you think of anything."

"Thank you Professor," Nicolette said. She looked up at Oliver as McGonagall disappeared down the hall. "We should go to the common room."

Oliver leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before leading them into the crowded common room.

It appeared that their friends had decided that they didn't need to tell anyone of their engagement, which Nicolette thought, might be for the best. It was likely to cause an up roar when Oliver and Nicolette moved into the married living space, why cause the up roar early?

_**** Obviously the updates aren't going to be as often unless I can get some dedicated writing time. So don't loose faith in me, I will update. BUT don't forget to review either!_


	24. Chapter 24

_*Couldn't wait…_

Chapter 24

"Let's get the group and go to my dorm," Oliver whispered in Nicolette's ear. Oliver looked at Stewart and nodded at the boy's stairs. Stewart nodded in understanding and whispered to Anne. Oliver gave the same look to James, Brandon and Sean.

Nicolette stepped away from Oliver and walked over to Suzanne who was reading in a corner by herself.

"Hey," Nicolette whispered squatting next to her new 'friend.' "Will you come upstairs with us?"

"To our room," Suzanne asked.

"No," Nicolette said shaking her head. "The boy's room."

"Yeah," Suzanne said standing up closing her book. "What's up?"

"I'll tell you upstairs."

Nicolette and Suzanne made their way to the boy's stairs. Nicolette noticed that they were the only seventh years left in the common room. They made their way upstairs and opened the door to the boy's dorm.

"So when is it," Anne asked as soon as the door opened

"You didn't tell them," Nicolette asked Oliver.

"She didn't ask me," he said as he walked over to her and put his arm around her waist.

"We're doing it during the Hogsmead weekend," Nicolette said.

"Doing what," Suzanne asked.

"They're getting married," Rebecca squealed.

"No," Suzanne said smiling. Anne nodded smiling. "That's great," Suzanne said hugging Nicolette.

"Thanks," Nicolette said.

"Details," Anne said. "I want details."

"There aren't any yet," Nicolette told them. "We don't have any plans yet, other than the fact that you lot will be there."

"But…" Lacey started. "How can you not have any plans, you need plans."

"I know Lac," Nicolette said with a smile. "But we have been engaged for what, maybe an hour? We were more concerned with Dumbledore allowing it as soon as we wanted it. And really, Oliver and I think that as long as we end up married who cares about the details."

"How can you be so blasé about your wedding? You know, you only get one in the wizarding world. If you and Oliver break up you will still be married, you won't be able to get married again. The only way to get remarried is for your spouse to die."

"Anne," Nicolette said calmly. "I actually did not know that. Oliver said that you couldn't get a divorce, but I don't want to marry anyone else anyway, even if Oliver were to die."

"Hey," Oliver piped in. "I have an idea, why don't we stop talking about my demise? I don't plan on dying any time soon so this won't be an issue."

"Fine," Anne said. "I was just making sure Nic was aware of what she was getting herself into."

"Anne," Oliver was a little shocked. "I thought you liked me? Why would you want her to be second guessing this, this will practically make her your sister."

Anne's eyes got big at the realization of his words.

"You're right Oliver," she said with excitement. "Your family is always at our house for Christmas and you spend weeks with us during the summer… YEAAA! I have a new sister!"

Nicolette laughed at her friend.

"Anne you do realize that our life is about to change drastically," Nicolette questioned her overzealous friend. "Not only are we going to be married, but we are having a baby AND we are all graduating in a couple of months." The group deflated with the truth of her words. "You lot are important to me but your lives are about to start. You're going to have jobs and friends that we don't know. Before you know it we will have not seen each other in years."

Lacey walked up to Nicolette and took her hand squeezing it.

"We'll only do that if we let it happen, I say we make a pack now that we get together at least twice a year ALL of us." Lacey looked at her friends who were unsure of a lot. "We can start with Nic and Oliver's wedding. Make that our first get together."

"But Lac," Brandon said coming up and putting his arms around her waist and setting his chin on her shoulder. "We will already be together, remember we still live together right now."

"Yeah," she said. "But if we start now, when we still see each other it will make it easier to remember to do it when we don't see each other."

"Hey, I vote we stop having morbid conversations," Sean said from where he was sitting on his bed. "I mean first we discuss Oliver's death and the implications that will have on Nicolette and her future marriages and now we are talking about leaving Hogwarts. Can't we just be seventh years for a little while longer?"

"On one condition," Nicolette said with a smile. "You have to make Rose sit with us during dinner tomorrow, if she is going to be your girlfriend she needs to be apart of this group."

Sean smiled at Nicolette.

"Done."

"Okay," Stewart said as he sat on his bed. "What do you need from us?"

"Just be there Stewart," Oliver said.

"What about your maid of honor?"

"Becs," Nicolette started as her two best friends looked at her for the answer. "I can't choose between you two. I…"

"I think that it is just going to be small," Oliver said trying to save her. "We may just stand alone."

After two weeks and so many owls that she lost count on the second day, Nicolette was in the shower on her wedding day.

"Nic," Anne yelled as she opened the door to the bathroom. "Your mother and father will be here in a little while. Hurry up!"

"I am!"

"Hey Nic," Anne said more quietly.

"Yeah?"

"You're getting married today," Anne said in a sing song voice.

"I know."

"To Oliver."

"I know."

"Are you happy?"

Nicolette wrapped the towel around her and opened the stall door and smiled at her friend.

"Never been happier."

Anne smiled.

"Come on, let's get dressed."

They got dressed in their nicest robes. Oliver and Nicolette had decided not to wear anything special. Oliver said the day was special enough they didn't need anything else.

"Nicolette," a voice called softly from the doorway causing the girls to turn to the door.

"Mum," Nicolette said smiling.

"Are you ready dear?"

Nicolette looked down at her robes making sure they were straight.

"Yep," she said looking back at her mum. "I'm ready."

"Come then, your father is down stairs with the Wood's," her mother told her as she reached out for her hand. Nicolette took her mother's hand and followed her down the stairs to her fiancé.

"Nicolette dear," Mary Ann said walking over to the stairs. "You look lovely."

Nicolette smiled at the woman who was going to be her mother in law soon.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Where is Oliver?"

"Derrick took him and the boys downstairs already. You don't get to see him until the ceremony," Mary Ann told her.

"Where's my dad?"

"Right here baby girl," he said from by the portrait hole.

"Daddy," Nicolette whispered as she went to her father and hugged him.

"Hey," he whispered as he hugged her back. "Are you ready?"

"I'm scared Daddy," she whispered so only he heard.

"It'll be okay baby," he said. "You have a very special young man downstairs waiting for you and we are going to go to Hogsmead and you two are going to get married. And in a few months, you are going to have a baby of your own." He looked down at her smiling. "It's okay to be scared but you're going to be okay."

"Thanks Daddy," Nicolette said as she closed her eyes.

"Come on Nicolette," Anne said. "Oliver and Stewart are going to be getting impatient."

Nicolette turned to find Anne, Lacey, Rebecca, and Suzanne were standing next to her mother and Oliver's waiting for her.

"Okay," Nicolette said. "I'm ready to get married, let's go."

Nicolette walked through the castle holding her father's hand. The castle was quiet since most students above 3rd year were already in Hogsmead and the younger students were likely sleeping in.

Nicolette was so happy. She knew that she was young, but she also knew that if she lived a thousand years she would never love anyone as much as she loved Oliver. The baby was a blessing she knew that. If it hadn't been for too much firewhiskey, she and Oliver might not have ever found out how the other felt.

"Nic," Anne said quietly from next to her. "I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You won't be sleeping in our dorm anymore. I don't know what I'll do without my best friend."

"Hey," Rebecca said from just behind them. "What am I, chopped liver?"

Anne reached back and linked her arm with Rebecca's bringing the three girls level with each other.

"Of course not Becs," Anne said. "But you know what I mean. It's been the three of us for six years now and you're leaving Nic. I know, you will still be here but… you'll be with Oliver."

"And you're with Stewart and Becs is with James. Anne were in our seventh year, everything is changing this is just another thing. Besides, my SOON to be husband is best friends with your boyfriend, we will be together all the time."

"I know," Anne said sadly. "It's just going to be different."

"But it's just the start," Lacey said from behind them. "Actually the start was Nicolette letting Suzanne into the group rather than her just being around the group. But still, Anne you know you will be the next to do this. And there's no telling who will be after that. Never mind the fact that in 8 months, we won't be students anymore."

"You are at the beginning of life," Katherine told the girls. "Nothing will ever be what it was." The group stopped near the gate to listen. "Its life, tomorrow will always be different than today. Some days won't be great. Others, like today, will be wonderful. If you have good friends and loved ones then it makes all the days better."

"Then my days will all be great," Nicolette told her friends.

"ANNE! NIC!" Stewart was hollering as he ran down the lane toward where they were standing. "Oliver was worried you might change your mind," he said as he came to a stop in front of them. "He wanted me to make sure you were still coming," he finished smiling.

"Tell him," she said with a smirk. "That he can't get rid of me, we'll be there shortly. Come on," she told her family and friends as she started walking again.

As she walked into the small meeting hall next to the post office she found Oliver and the boys. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were also there with Oliver's father. Nicolette smile at Oliver as the group she was with made their way to where the others were standing.

"Hi," she whispered to him as she reached him and took his hand.

"Hey," he whispered back. "Ready?"

She nodded and Oliver cleared his throat looking at Professor Dumbledore.

"I think we're ready now," he said.

Dumbledore nodded and waved his wand, instantly conjuring chairs for their guest to sit in.

"Alright then," the Professor said. "Let's get started."

Nicolette and Oliver stepped up to their Professor who was positioned in front of the group. Oliver was still gripping her hand tightly.

"Nicolette, Oliver we are here to day to witness the joining of your lives. Yesterday you were two, but today you will become one, two unique individuals with a common bond, a bond of love and unity. Your family and friends are here because you want them to be apart of your lives together. Since there are no objections to the union, we will conti-"

"What," a voice interrupted from the back of the room before clearing their throat. "What if… he's not the father?"

Nicolette looked up at Oliver with panic in her eyes, she knew that voice. She turned and found Ben standing just inside the door looking at her.

"What are you doing here?"

_***Okay, so I know this chapter is long, and I know that some of you might fuss about the ending but I mean really… there wasn't a better place for it to end. Please review?_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Several hours later Nicolette was lying on the bed in the hospital wing trying not to cry. Oliver and Ben would be in shortly. Madame Pomfrey was going to perform a test that she already knew the answer to, but no one believed her. This was not how she saw her wedding day going.

"Nicolette," her mother said as she stood from the chair she had been sitting in next to the bed. "Oliver and Ben are here. Are you ready?"

"I don't need the test," she whispered to her mother, looking up at her through red rimmed eyes. "I know without a doubt who the father is." She laid there a moment before she leaned over the bed and threw up in the pot Madame Pomfrey had put by the bed. When she was finished, she wiped her mouth and rolled over looking at the wall behind her bed. Madame Pomfrey had put her in the corner at the back of the hospital wing to try and give her a little more privacy.

"Miss Deloncre," Madame Pomfrey said as she came around a curtain. "Are you ready?"

Nicolette didn't respond, she just laid there staring at the wall.

"Baby girl," her father said as he tried to get her to roll over. "Nikki dear, Madame P-"

"Don't call me that."

"What," her father asked.

"My name is Nicolette."

"Okay, but you need to roll over and lie on your back."

Nicolette rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. She could feel the tears rolling down from the corner of her eyes and around the back of her neck. She was so embarrassed and hurt, but she knew that it was all her fault.

"This won't hurt," Madame Pomfrey whispered before she started waving her wand over Nicolette's stomach. Which didn't even have a noticeable bump, but she was only 8 weeks along. "Okay, all done."

Nicolette rolled back over to look at the wall.

"Well," she heard her mother ask Madame Pomfrey.

"It's Mr. Wood's. She was right," Madame Pomfrey said quietly. "I need to go speak with him and Mr. Applebright."

"Nicolette dear," her mother said sometime later. "Your father and I need to leave, will you be okay."

"Oliver hates me, Anne and Becs won't talk to me," she said without any emotion. "I'm a ball of sunshine."

"It will be okay dear," Katherine told her daughter with conviction. "I know that it doesn't seem like it right now, but you'll get through this."

"Mrs. Deloncre?"

"Brandon," Katherine said to the young man. "Luc and I have to leave," she looked back at her daughter who was devastated by what she lost today. "Will you take care of her?"

"Of course," Brandon replied. "I actually came to get her, the feast is about to start."

"I'm not going," Nicolette said.

"Yes you are," Brandon said as he put his hand on her shoulder and forced her to roll on her back. "Sit up and tell your parents goodbye."

Nicolette looked at her friend and rolled her eyes before trying to roll over to face the wall again.

"NO," he said forcefully. "Sit up and tell your parents goodbye."

Nicolette looked at him and saw the determination in his eyes.

"You are not going to pull away from me again," he told her vehemently. "I let you do it once because I didn't know what was going on, but you WILL NOT do it again. Do you understand me? You are more important to me than anyone else is here and you know that. You aren't getting rid of me. I don't care if Flint is the father. You are stuck with me."

Nicolette couldn't hold it in anymore; she sat up and threw her arms around Brandon crying. Brandon wouldn't leave her because of this. He was her brother, maybe not by blood, but since they started Hogwarts 6 years ago, he was the one person she knew she could go to about anything. She told him things that she didn't even tell Anne and Rebecca, and he in turn told her all of his secrets too. How his father beat him and his mother. How his mother would just watch as his father would hit him with a strap of leather that had a small piece of metal attached to the end.

"Come on," he whispered in her ear as he pushed her away so he could look in her eyes. "Your parents need to go, but you need to tell them bye first."

Nicolette nodded and looked at her mother who was trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry," Nicolette whispered as she stood from the bed and went to her mum. "I know I disappointed you."

"It's not alright but I love you anyways," Katherine said as she took her daughter in her arms. "I don't know what has happened over the last couple of months, but you use to tell me things. I wish you would trust me and talk to me again."

Nicolette nodded into her mother's shoulder, before pulling back and looking at her father. She didn't say anything to him as she walked to him and put her arms around him. He pulled her closer to him, trying to protect his baby girl.

"Can I come home for Christmas break still," she asked him quietly.

"Of course you can," he told her. "We will always love you." He kissed her on the top of the head before taking Katherine's hand and walking to the opening in the curtain. "We'll see you in a couple of weeks, and baby girl… keep your chin up."

Nicolette nodded in acknowledgment of her father's comment.

"Come on," Brandon said as he took her hand and started pulling her with him out of the curtained area. "We're going to the feast."

"I don't want to," she told him as she followed into the open wing. She saw Oliver standing by the doors talking with both his parents and hers. Her mother waved at her as the four adults left. Oliver turned around and saw her and Brandon before leaving. "Please Brandon," she whispered as Brandon pulled her into his arms giving her a hug. "Don't make me go."

"You have to Nic," he whispered back. "Oliver and Anne will get over this. But you can't hide away."

"Why not, in one day I lost my best friend and the man I love and the father of my child. I just want to be alone."

"Later," he told her rubbing her back. "Remember you still need to eat. That baby needs you to eat."

"That's not fair," she said trying to hold in the sobs as tears leaked down her face. "Using my unborn child to make me do something I don't want to do."

"Sorry," he said as he let her go and took her hand, pulling her out of the hospital wing and down the stairs to the great hall. "Come on," he said as the entered the hall and made their way to the Gryffindor table. "We'll sit down here by ourselves."

"What about Lacey," Nicolette asked trying not to look down the table to find Oliver.

"She knows you come first," he told her while piling food on a plate for her. "Family always comes first."

"Thanks Brandon," she whispered picking up a fork. "Why couldn't I have fallen for you? You would have believed me, wouldn't you?"

"Honestly," he said as he started filling his plate. "I think that the shock of finding out that way would make me unsure of everything. But I won't leave you either way."

Nicolette kept her head down focused on her food, ignoring the laughter and chatter in the hall around her.

"Nic," Brandon said after a few minutes. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Nicolette looked up at him before nodding and looking back down at her plate while she pushed her food around.

"I was sad and was walking around Dublin by myself. Dad was on a business trip and I tagged along since I didn't have anything else to do before school started back. I ran into Ben, who was there visiting his aunt or grandmother or someone. I didn't mean for it to happen, I don't think that you could really call it sex, he um…" she looked up at Brandon blushing.

"Jumped the gun?"

She smirked at his muggle reference and nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't enjoy it. I don't even like him. I was just sad."

"Why were you sad?"

"Because I spent six years of life in love with someone who I thought would never love me, and Ben comes around and tells me that he loves me and… It doesn't matter now does it? I had him and lost him, so I'm kind of in the same place only now I am going to have his baby. Even though he wishes I was dead," she was trying valiantly to keep the tears that had pooled in the corner of her eyes from falling.

"I don't wish you were dead."

"Oliver," she said turning around.

"I wish you weren't carrying my child, but I don't wish you were dead," he told her before walking off and out of the hall. Anne, Rebecca, and Stewart followed him out of the hall.

Nicolette's head dropped down on the table in front of her and she tried to stifle her sobs. She felt Brandon sit down next to her and pull her into his arms. She cried into his shoulder for what seemed like hours.

_*** Please Review!***_


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Everyone in here!"

Nicolette looked up at Brandon before they both turned to find Professor Sprout leading the students back into the great hall.

"What happened," she asked Brandon.

"I don't know," he responded. "Almost everyone had left."

"Clear the tables out please," Professor Sprout shouted.

"Get up," Professor Snape said to them as he walked over. Nicolette and Brandon stood and Professor Snape waved his wand and all the tables and benches disappeared from the room.

"Professor Snape," Brandon said. "What happened?"

"Black tried to get into your common room. All the students are being brought in here until the castle can be searched."

"Oh god!"

Brandon and Nicolette stood in each other's arms as they watched the student body pile into the great hall and stand around.

An hour later Nicolette was sitting on a purple sleeping bag next to Brandon. She had made him put them in the corner so she didn't have to be near anyone.

"Nic," he said. "You know they aren't going to let me stay here tonight right? They will separate us soon."

"I know," she said with her eyes closed and her head leaning against the wall. "But I don't want you to leave me yet." The two sat in silence, Nicolette with her eyes closed and Brandon quietly observing the room they were in. "Lacey hates me too doesn't she?"

"It's not that she hates you," he said softly as he looked at her. "She understands that your relationship is different with her than it is with Anne or Becca, she is just disappointed that you won't confide in her." He took a deep breath and picked up her hand. "I think she knows how important you and I are to each other and wishes that she could be apart of it. She's jealous that you are so important to me."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Why?"

"Because you should be with her and not me," she told him. "I made my bed and I need to sleep in it. I can't use you as a crutch; you have a life to live."

"Nic," he said with a little frustration. "Stop. Lacey and I will be fine. You need me right now and no matter how hard you try, I am going to be here for you."

"Even if Lacey breaks up with you?"

"If Lacey breaks up with me because I think you need me, then she and I have bigger problems than you," he told her. "You are my sister and family comes first. She knows that you are part of the package. I love you and she knows that."

"It helps that she loves you too," Lacey said. Brandon and Nicolette looked up to see that Lacey was standing in front of them. "Look Nic, I don't want to get involved in what is going on with you and Anne or you and Oliver but you and Brandon are my business. He's not the Brandon I love when you and he aren't talking." Brandon smiled at his girlfriend.

"See Nic," he looked back at Nicolette. "Straight from the horse's mouth."

"Wait," Lacey said as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Am I the horse in this scenario?"

"You are my girlfriend in every scenario," he said with a smile.

"Mr. Wells," Professor McGonagall said as she came up to the group. "You need to go to the other side. The boys are sleeping at the other end of the hall."

"Told you," he said as he gave Nicolette a kiss on the cheek and stood and gave Lacey and kiss on the lips. "See you in the morning, both of you," he said with a stern look at Nicolette before walking down the row of Gryffindor sleeping bags.

"Miss Deloncre," Professor McGonagall. "How are you feeling?"

"Like the life has been sucked from my body," Nicolette said with an attempt at cheerfulness. "I don't need to throw up if that's what you mean," she added downheartedly. Professor nodded before walking off down the hall to check on other students.

"Can I sleep here," Lacey asked.

"If you want," Nicolette said.

Nicolette lay down on top of her sleeping bag and rolled over to look at the wall again. She fell asleep thinking about Oliver.

"Nic, wake up."

"Hum," she mumbled as she rolled over to find Brandon sitting next to her.

"Come on wake up," he said again. "We can go back to the dorms."

"I don't feel good," she said as she sat up.

"Well, you cried a lot yesterday and Lacey said you cried in your sleep most of the night."

"Oh."

"Come on," he said standing up. "We should do some of our homework for tomorrow's class."

"You really know how to make a bad morning worse don't you," Nicolette said as she stood.

"It's a practiced trait, come on," he said impatiently.

"Why are you in such a hurry," she asked looking around the hall. "Everyone is still asleep." She saw Oliver a ways down the Gryffindor row. He was facing her but his eyes were closed.

"Come on," Brandon whispered in her ear. "He is still going to be here later."

"Yeah," Nicolette said looking at her friend. "He just doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Look," Brandon said. "You can't focus on him right now. You are graduating in less than 8 months, you and James are trying to get into healer training and it's not going to be easy. You and I need to go study. Oliver needs to deal with everything before you can even talk to him again."

"You talked to him," she said as they walked out of the hall.

"Yeah," he told her. "He and I spent most of the night talking."

"He hates me doesn't he?"

"He loves you, that's not a feeling that goes away over night. But right now he is hurting and he can't deal with you."

"So you are," she said sadly. "I know you two have been friends a long time, so tell me, are you here because he asked you?"

"Nicolette," he said stopping them in the hall and turning her to look at him. "You are my best friend, he and I are friends and he may have asked me to make sure you are okay. But I am here because you need me. How many times do I have to tell you that you're my sister?"

"Sorry," she said trying not to cry.

Brandon started walking again, pulling her along with him.

"Hey Brandon," she said. "Where was Lacey this morning?"

"Anne needed her help with something."

"Oh."

"She'll get over," he told her as they entered the library. "Her and Becca both, just give them time."

As the two walked over to a table and sat down Nicolette briefly wondered how they were going to study without books.

"So," she started looking at him. "Oliver's mad at me, Anne and Rebecca are mad at me. How come you're not?"

"I am," he said seriously. "I just think that maybe you need me more than I need to be mad at you."

Nicolette put her arms on the table and buried her head in them.

"I screwed up didn't I?"

"Big time."

She looked up at him with watery eyes.

"Tell me what you really think Brandon. You were nicer yesterday."

"Yesterday was a bad day. Today you need to know that it is not all right. I love you, BUT you should have told him from day one that there was someone before him."

"But…"

"No but," he told her. "There is no excuse. You should have told him when you found out you were pregnant that there was another man who could be the father."

"You don't get it," she said fiercely. "There is no possible way that Ben could be the father. None," she stood looking at him. "Thanks for being my 'brother' and believing in me, asshole."

Nicolette stormed out of the library hurt and angry. She walked through the halls to the Gryffindor common room. It was still very early and she hoped that everyone was still downstairs in the great hall. As she got to the portrait where the fat lady usually resided she found Sir Cadogan. She spent five minutes trying to get into the common room and had no luck. So she left before she ran into someone who hated her.

_Nicolette is so easy to write, she is as emotionally unstable as I am. _

_Please review so I can post another chapter! (Probably about a week, sorry)_


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Nicolette spent an hour wandering around the castle. She wanted to stay away from the areas she thought that Oliver and Anne might be. She didn't need their hostility this morning.

"Deloncre."

Nicolette turned and found Marcus Flint leaning against the hall she was passing.

"What do you want Flint?"

"I have an itch and I think that you could scratch it."

"Why would I even touch you let alone help you?"

"Because you don't have your little _Wood_ anymore and from what I understand, you won't last long without scratching your own itch."

"Shut up Flint. You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"No? The way I heard it, you had two different guys thinking that they were the father of that child you're carrying." Nicolette was shocked, no one knew about this but her friends, who would have told him. "See that makes you the perfect person for scratching my itch. I don't have to worry that I might leave something behind in you. I can scratch all I want and no one would ever know, and with your reputation they wouldn't believe that you didn't want it."

"I'm not having sex with you."

"I think you'll do what I tell you."

"No I won't. Want to know why Flint, because you are a piece of scum. No matter how bad things might be… I will never lower myself to you!"

"But you lowered yourself to Wood, and we all know his family is traitorous, I mean his mother is a fucking muggle. I'm sure she is a good lay though."

Nicolette's shock was evident on her face.

"Mrs. Wood is the nicest woman in the entire world, regardless of her magical ability. And the Woods are not traitorous, though I understand the Flints are. I was told all your family were Death Eaters, and that doesn't speak well for you. You are a bastard, add the fact that you family worshiped at the feet of a psychotic Neanderthal… Well it's not a wonder you have a scratch that no one will itch."

"You BITCH!" Flint had a look on his face that scared Nicolette; maybe she had pushed him too far.

As he started toward her, Nicolette started backing up down the hall hoping that she could get away. She turned to start running and ran right into Oliver. He grabbed her arms to keep her standing before quickly let go of her.

"Well look who it is," Flint said. "Wood, have you come to save the woman you've rejected?"

"You shouldn't talk about things you don't know anything about Flint," Oliver responded with a lifeless voice. "Nicolette, leave."

"She's not going anywhere," Flint said walking toward Nicolette and Oliver. "You have disposed of her, she is mine now."

"Nicolette LEAVE now," Oliver said. He hadn't looked at her yet but she could tell he wasn't himself.

"Its okay Oliver," she said softly. "You don't have to, I can handle myself. You don't-"

"NICOLETTE," Oliver bellowed. "Get out of here NOW!"

Nicolette looked at Flint before taking a last glance at Oliver as she walked away.

Nicolette went back to the Gryffindor common room and happened upon it as Harry Potter and his friend who was the twins younger brother, were coming out of the tower so she didn't have to mess with Sir Cadogan. As she walked through the common room, she saw Anne, Rebecca and Stewart sitting by the fireplace. The three stopped talking as she passed them.

Nicolette ran up the stairs before the tears could start falling. She only thought her life was falling apart in September. She knew that NOW, it really had collapsed. She had no one now. She climbed in her bed and closed the curtains around her. As she sat in the middle of her bed, she knew that she didn't want to look at the empty room around her.

She felt more alone than ever. She knew from the look in Oliver's eyes just now, that he hated her. Anne hadn't even wanted to yell at her, Anne always yelled at her when they were fighting. Brandon was going to side with Oliver and she knew it, no matter what he said, he had been friends with Oliver since they were kids and that was a much stronger friendship than theirs was.

"Nic," came a voice from the other side of her curtains. "Nic, I need ta talk to you a minute."

Nicolette pulled her curtains back just far enough to find Anne standing there.

"Look," Anne started softly. "It has been suggested that I say something to you that you may need to hear." Anne looked down at her hands that were clasped together in front of her as she gathered her thoughts. "We're not through." She looked back up into Nicolette's sea green eyes trying to not cry. "I'm hurt and upset that you don't feel you can tell me things. I obviously don't mean to you what you mean to me. I'm also hurt for Oliver, he's my friend and you were not fair to him. But you should know that we are still friends," Anne swallowed to try and control her emotions. "I'm just too mad at you right now. Give me some time and I will find you."

Nicolette swallowed before she responded.

"Thanks," she whispered. "And I'm sorry. It's not that you not important, I just didn't… I wanted to forget what happened. I'm embarrassed that it happened. I thought that if I didn't tell anyone, I could pretend it didn't happen." She looked down and quickly wiped the lone tear that was trying to make its way down her cheek. "How's Oliver?"

Anne pursed her lips in thought before responding.

"I don't know that you get to know the answer to that yet. He did say something happened with Flint, are you okay?"

"Nothing happened," Nicolette said. "Oliver stopped it. I don't think that is the last I've seen of Flint though."

"Look Nic," Anne said. "You don't need to walk around the castle by yourself. With the fainting and Flint, make sure that you have someone with you."

"Like who," Nicolette asked sadly. "All my friends are mad at me."

"I'm not," a voice said from outside of Nicolette's line of vision in the room.

"Suzanne," she questioned.

"Yeah," Suzanne responded as she stepped up next to Anne. "I'll be here for you until things are fine again."

Anne smiled a sad smile at Suzanne before looking back at Nicolette.

"I have to go," Anne said before leaving the room.

"Thanks Suzanne," Nicolette whispered.

"No problem," Suzanne told her. "Are you going to stay here or do you want to go for a walk?"

"Maybe we should go for a walk," Nicolette said as she moved to the edge of her bed.

As they walked through the common room, no one paid them any attention. Nicolette felt better knowing that Anne would forgive her. But she knew that she had lost Oliver forever. Even if he could forgive her enough to be her friend again, that is all they would ever be. If she could go back and change what she didn't say, she would. She felt a bit sluggish; the emotions that were raging through her were dragging her down. She didn't know if she would be able to go through day to day without him. Even before she knew he loved her, he was apart of her daily life. She was really good friends with him before this and now he was gone. She felt empty.

"Hey Nicolette," Suzanne said softly startling Nicolette, who had forgotten that she was there.

"Sorry," Nicolette apologized. "I'm not very good company right now."

"No, it's okay. I was just going to see if you were ready for lunch. Brandon said that he didn't think you ate breakfast. Are you hungry?"

"Not really," Nicolette said as they continued down the charms hall. "I should probably eat though."

"Yeah you should," Suzanne said.

The two girls made their way through the halls toward the great hall. As they reached the top of the grand staircase that led to the entrance hall, Nicolette felt the lurch of the castle. She knew what was going to happen but couldn't stop it.

"Suz…" was all she managed to say as a warning to her friend before she fell into darkness.

_I know, it's been FOREVER, I'm sorry. _

_Please read and review!_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Hours later, she woke alone in the hospital wing. She hurt all over, she knew she had fainted, but there wasn't anyone there to tell her what happened. She closed her eyes and rolled over on the bed curling into a little ball.

"Miss Deloncre," Madame Pomfrey said as she walked up next to the bed. "Are you awake now?"

"No," Nicolette said.

"Please let me examine you," Madame Pomfrey asked patiently.

Nicolette opened her eyes and looked up at the nurse before she rolled over on her back and stretched out on the bed.

"Did you know you fell down the stairs this time?"

"How did I get here," she asked quietly.

Madame Pomfrey was quiet a moment as she waved her wand over Nicolette.

"Mr. Wood brought you."

Nicolette tried to not react to the news.

"Madame Pomfrey," she whispered to the woman. "My baby?"

"Is fine," she said reassuringly. "Between Suzanne and Oliver's quick reflexes you only fell down a few stairs and your stomach did not hit. I would say that you owe them."

'I didn't know Oliver was there, I thought he was still in the common room,' she thought before clearing her throat and speaking, "Do you need help on the weekends?"

"Hum," Madame Pomfrey mulled over Nicolette's question as she cleaned up the area around Nicolette. "I suppose, since you are planning to going into healer training, that I could use you for a couple hours on the weekends. How about you come in this Saturday after breakfast is over and we will see what we can have you do, does that sound good?"

"Yes ma'am," Nicolette responded. "Am I done now?"

"Yes," Madame Pomfrey said. "But Mr. Wood said that you are having problems with a fellow student and that one of your friends would be down soon to go back to the common room with you." The nurse finished her piddling and went back into her office.

"I'll be here forever unless Suzanne comes," Nicolette said to herself as she rolled over to stare at the far side of the hospital wing.

"I know I'm not Suzanne, but maybe you will let me take you back to the dorms?"

Nicolette turned over to find the golden eyes of her friend staring at her from just in front of the doors.

"Becs?"

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought that we needed to talk and Suzanne said you needed someone to walk with."

Nicolette sat up on the bed and looked at her friend who had stayed across the room.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Look," Rebecca said as she approached the bed. "Sorry is not what I need to hear. Anne told me what she said to you and I feel the same as she does." Rebecca paused to gather her strength for the conversation. "We are supposed to be friends, friends who tell each other everything. Too much sometimes and you left us in the dark on this. We're supposed to be the ones who help you to deal with things like this and you didn't want us to have any part in helping you. There is nothing that I wouldn't tell you and Anne. I just don't understand how you can… how we don't… how you… I don't know what I'm trying to say."

"It's okay," Nicolette said. "And its not like I didn't want to talk to you about it but I was afraid of you judging me for a mistake, that by the way didn't happen quite like everyone seems to think it did." Nicolette saw Rebecca's look of confusion. "This is not a conversation that we need to have here; can we go down by the lake or someplace like that?"

"Yeah," Rebecca said as she reached her hand out to help Nicolette off the bed before holding on to it and leading her out of the hospital wing and out of the castle.

As the girls settled on the grass under a large silver birch tree, they were almost hidden by its large hanging branches. Rebecca conjured a large blanket for them too sit on so they didn't have to sit on the wet leaves that had already fallen from the tree.

Rebecca chuckled a bit as they looked out over the lake.

"What," Nicolette asked her.

"Nothing," Rebecca responded before looking over at Nicolette. "It's just… do you know what this tree is supposed to symbolize?"

"No, can't say I know much about tree folklore."

"Fertility."

Nicolette looked at Rebecca a moment before she too chuckled.

"Too bad it's not love, then I might have hope to get Oliver to forgive me and take me back."

"Funny you should say that," Rebecca said causing Nicolette to look back up at her.

"You're kidding!"

"No, dad says the birch symbolizes love and fertility and is supposed to ward off evil spirits."

"That is ironic," Nicolette said sadly.

"He will forgive you," Rebecca told her. "I don't know if he will take you back, but he loves you too much to not forgive you."

"Thanks."

"So," Rebecca said tentatively. "Can you tell me what happened now?"

Nicolette nodded before telling her the story.

"We were both drunk, naked, and I was sad. No, we did not have sex, he passed out after he… you know. So I guess I can understand how he didn't realize that we didn't actually have sex." Nicolette pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her head against them looking over at Rebecca who was watching the lake as she listened to Nicolette's story. "I was so embarrassed that I let things get that far and I wanted to forget that I let myself be that stupid. The whole time all I thought about was how Oliver would never see me as more than a friend. He would forever classify me the same as Anne and… Well I just couldn't stop it. I didn't want to hurt Ben who did, for some unknown reason, love me. Ben is a good guy but… Well, he's not Oliver, you know what I mean?"

"Of course, remember I have been in love with James almost as long as you have been in love with Oliver."

"I'll never love anyone else."

Rebecca looked over at Nicolette.

"What do you mean?"

Nicolette stared into her friends golden eyes a moment before responding.

"After having been with Oliver the last month, I'll never let anyone that close again. Not because of how much I hurt right now but because I know it will never be as good as it was with Oliver. Can someone be your soul mate even if you aren't theirs?"

"I don't know. I don't even know if I believe in soul mates." Rebecca responded softly. "And how do you know that you aren't his soul mate?"

"Because he hates me," she whispered as a tear slid down her check and landed on her robe covered knee.

"He doesn't hate you," Rebecca said as she scooted closer to Nicolette and put her arm around her. "He is hurting but trust me, he doesn't hate you."

"He said he wished I wasn't carrying his baby," Nicolette said as the tears began to flow more quickly. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him."

"He didn't say that," Rebecca said.

"Yes he did," Nicolette told her. "Last night after dinner, you were with him."

"I didn't hear what he said to you. I can't believe he said that. He has been so worried about you and the baby since he found out you were pregnant. He even made us go to lunch after you and Suzanne left so that he could follow you and make sure that you were okay and not attacked by Flint." Rebecca was getting mad at Oliver. "He shouldn't have said that."

"Why not, it is obviously the truth. I need to let him know that he can pretend it's not his. I don't want him to hold it against the baby that I am it's mother."

"Well," Rebecca said as she rubbed Nicolette's shoulder trying to convey some comfort to her friend. "I can't tell you what to do, but maybe you should give him the option to get out. See if he comes back to you."

"He won't."

"Nic," a voice said from behind them causing both girls to turn around.

_A/N: Wow! Chapter 28 and no detailed sex, no wonder there are fewer reviews. I promise it will justify the M rating; it is taking a lot longer to get there than I thought it would. Sorry it took so long to update, pain is not fun especially when it is in your mouth. Hopefully, in the next week or two things will settle back down and I can write more. Sorry, don't give up on me yet._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Anne," Nicolette said hoping that she was going to be forgiven.

Anne walked up and sat on the other side of Nicolette and looked over at both girls.

"I miss you," Anne whispered.

"You've only been mad at me a day."

"I know but it has been a really long day."

"So," Nicolette began. "Do you want to know what really happened?"

"You're going to tell me?"

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "I told you, its not like I meant to hurt you by not telling you… I'm just embarrassed that I let it happen. See…" Nicolette told the story again, this time to Anne. Rebecca kept her arm around her friend as she told the story.

"Well, I guess I can understand wanting to forget what happened, but I still think you should have told Oliver. I mean… you two were going to get married; he deserved to know if there was someone else who had… Well, I guess I just think that even if you didn't tell us, there should be no secrets between a husband and wife." Anne picked up Nicolette's hand that was resting on her knee, as she squeezed her friends hand and pulled it into her lap clasping it in both hers; she turned and looked her best friend in the eyes. "I… I don't know what to tell you about Oliver. I can tell you that I forgive you for not telling me, obviously our friendship has changed and I am going to have to deal with that but… Oliver… Oliver is hurt. I think mostly because he loves you so much that it hurts that you were with someone else before him, and I know you didn't have sex," she said as she saw that Nicolette wanted to interrupt. "You didn't have sex with him but Oliver doesn't know that right now. He thinks that you moved from one guy to him in less time than it takes to make most potions. He kind of feels like some kind of conquest rather than someone you loved."

Nicolette was trying not to sob as she realized that Anne was right. To Oliver, this looked even worse than she thought.

"I rea really do love him," she said through her tears.

"I know," Anne said as she wrapped her arm around her, scooting up next to her. "But I have known that for what, 6 years now. I don't know if Oliver will forgive you, and I don't know if you two have a chance to get back together. At some point, you are going to have to make him sit down and listen to you, at least so you can be friends again, or at the very least be able to be around your friends at the same time since you both have the same friends."

"I need to tell him that I don't need his help with the baby too."

"Umm," Anne said. "I don't think you need to tell him that. I think he wants this baby. I know what he said yesterday at dinner but I think he was just trying to hurt you. Did Becs tell you that we had to follow to lunch because he was worried you would faint? He said you were looking a little pale," she told Nicolette with a small smile. "He really does love you, and if you tell him the truth and give him time… maybe everything will work itself out."

"Doubtful but thanks for trying to make me feel better," Nicolette said. "I don't deserve it."

"Maybe not," Anne said as she looked up at Rebecca who had kept silent during their conversation. "But that's what friends are for."

Nicolette looked up at Anne before she buried her face in her friend's shoulder still crying. Anne was pretty sure that she heard a mumbled thanks from her friend.

"Come on," Rebecca said as she rubbed Nicolette's back. "It's almost time for dinner and I know you didn't eat lunch so that baby must be starved."

Nicolette sat up and stretched her legs out in front of her before trying to wipe her face of the tears. Anne smiled and conjured a tissue for her friend.

"Sometimes I think you forget that you are a witch."

Nicolette smiled and took the tissue before responding, "I do. I can't do that at home, and no one can for me."

"Come on," Anne said as she got and offered a hand to each of her friends. "Let's go eat."

As the three girls made their way back to the castle Nicolette gave an involuntary shiver and looked up to see that there was a Dementor making its way to the castle from the front gates.

"Oh dear," she said. "Let's hurry before that thing catches up with us." The other two girls looked up and all three picked up the pace before they arrived safely in the entrance hall.

"I'm glad that thing didn't show up before now," Rebecca said. "Those things are creepy. And that Black guy still got onto the grounds, even with them here."

"I wish they would go back to where they came from," Anne said.

"Well fine," a voice said from their left.

Stewart, James and Brandon were standing on the stairs looking down at the girls. Stewart, the voice that had spoken had a smirk on his face.

"We can leave if you want; we just thought we could eat with you all."

"What do you think girls," Anne asked mischievously. "Think we can eat with these three."

"Not sure," Nicolette said as she looked up at Brandon. She was still a bit miffed at the boy.

"Look Nic," Brandon said. "I'm sorry that you got mad at me this morning. I was just expressing my opinion."

"There are better ways," she told him. "Even among best friends. You don't have to find the best way to hurt me when you tell me you think I'm a bitch."

"I don't think you're a bitch," he told her as he came down the last few stairs and stopped in front of her. "I don't, really. I might think that you handled things wrong, but I don't think you're a bitch. I love you; you're my best friend, my sister."

Nicolette looked at him before movement over his shoulder caught her eye, as she looked up the stairs behind the other boys she saw Oliver, Sean, and Percy stop at the top of the stairs and look at the scene in the hall in front of them. She caught a pair of concerned blue eyes before looking back at Brandon.

"I love you too," she whispered as she pulled him into a hug and buried her head into his chest so she didn't have to look behind him.

"Come on," Stewart said as he stepped down from the stairs and over to his girlfriend. "Let's go inside and eat."

"Yeah," James added. "'Cause I'm starved."

Brandon pulled Nicolette after the other two couples, as she kept her head down so she didn't have to look at Oliver.

"He's not going to bite you," he whispered in her ear.

"I know," she said looking up at him. "I just… I guess I'm not ready to deal with his hurt yet because I have to deal with mine first."

"I know," he said as he kissed her temple. "It'll be okay."

"Nicolette," Oliver said from behind them. Nicolette turned around and slowly looked up into the blue eyes.

"Oliver?"

"Do you think we could talk," he asked. "Maybe after dinner?"

"Uh, sure."

"Thanks," Oliver said as he sat down next to Stewart. Nicolette and Brandon continued on down the table, Brandon sat next to Lacey, who had already started eating before they had arrived.

"Oh god," Nicolette whispered as she sat next to him. "What am I going to say?"

"The truth Nic," Brandon told her as he started to put food on his plate. "Eat."

Nicolette slowly put food onto her plate and began to eat.

"All right," Rebecca asked from where she was sitting across from Brandon.

Nicolette looked down the table at Oliver who was pushing the food on his plate around, not really eating much of it.

"Yeah," she said. "Just scared I guess."

The seventh year students of Gryffindor ate their dinner quietly; very few comments were shared between the friends. It had been an eventful weekend, which made the students look forward to classes the next day.

All Nicolette could think about was how badly she had messed up and if things had gone differently, she would be married to the man that she loved. She wiped at the lone tear that slid down her cheek.

"I'm done," Sean said from where he sat across from Oliver. "I'm going to study Arithmacy, any body want to study with me?"

"Yeah," Brandon said before swallowing the last of his pumpkin juice down. "Lac, you comin'?"

"Yeah," she told her boyfriend. "I guess I could look over Muggle Studies for class in the morning."

As her friends got up and left her sitting at the table, Nicolette's heart rate increased. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk to Oliver, but the time was quickly approaching.

"Hey Wood," Harry Potter said as he approached the end of the table that Oliver and Nicolette were at, though that sat a distance from each other.

"Yeah Potter?"

"Is practice tomorrow night or Tuesday night, I forgot."

"Tomorrow and Tuesday, remember the game against playing Slytherin is Saturday."

"Yeah," Harry said dejectedly. "That part I remember, thanks."

Oliver nodded as the third year headed back up the table where his friends were waiting on him. He took a deep breath before looking down the table at Nicolette, who was now sitting by herself pushing the food still on her plate around and mixing it together in distracted circles.

_**AN: Read and Review People!_


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Hey," he said and cleared his throat. "Want to walk?"

"As long as we don't go outside," she told him softly. At his questioning expression she said, "The girls and I were out there before dinner and attracted some dementors apparently."

"Are you okay," he asked her trying not to sound as worried as he felt.

"Yeah," Nicolette said. "We got inside before they got too close. We could take the long way back to the tower, though that may be too much time," she added to herself.

"Okay," Oliver said as he stood and waited for her to come up next to him so they could walk out of the hall together.

As the couple went to the double doors of the hall, they were cut off from their exit.

"Well, well, what have we here Adrian?" Marcus Flint crossed his arms over his chest as he stepped in front of them. "Looks to me like these two are a bit confused. They are acting like they're still together but I remember hearing that Deloncre is a slut and Wood dropped her when he found out."

"Well, maybe he needed a good shag Flint," Adrian Puncey said from where he stood leaning against the door jam. "I'm in need of one too, it's been hours since I had a good shag and Deloncre could be good, at least good enough to try once, she is a mudblood after all.

"Shut up, both of you," Oliver said as he tried to control the anger he felt at the way the two Slytherins were talking about Nicolette.

"Why," Flint asked him. "It's not like you have any claim to her honor. I bet she doesn't even remember who the guy is she lost her virginity to, probably some sleazy muggle that paid her for it."

Oliver could keep the anger in check any longer; he pulled his arm back and sent it slamming into Flint's face.

"MR. WOOD!" Professor McGonagall was making her way through the great hall to the group in front of the door. "What in the name of Merlin possessed you to HIT Mr. Flint?"

"He…" Oliver looked over at Flint who was bent over holding his face as blood gushed from between his fingers. "Nothing Professor."

"Nothing," she said as she stopped in front of her seventh year and looked at the girl standing next to him who was quietly crying. "And I will assume the same nothing has affected Miss Deloncre as it has?" She looked at the injured Slytherin before looking back at her students. "Twenty points will be taken from Gryffindor Mr. Wood for you serious lack of control. And Mr. Flint, twenty points will be taken from Slytherin for provoking a student. Something tells me Mr. Flint that a broken nose is the least that you deserved for what you have done here. Miss Deloncre," she began as she looked back at the student she was talking too. "Do you need to go see Madame Pomfrey before I take Mr. Flint?"

"No Ma'am," she said softly. "I'm fine."

Professor McGonagall led Flint out of the Great Hall calling for Adrian to follow them.

"Come on," Oliver said as he reached for her hand and pulled her with him.

The two began the trek to the Gryffindor tower in silence. Nicolette collected herself together while trying to gather the courage that justified the sorting hat placing her into Gryffindor in the first place.

"So," she began after clearing her throat. "I think that I need to tell you what happened."

Oliver stopped them at the alcove they had just passed and sat down in the poorly lit space. He tugged on the hand he was still holding to get Nicolette to sit next to him.

"First, you should know that we didn't actually have sex. He doesn't remember, but I do." Nicolette laced her fingers with his as she cherished the warmth of his hand. "My dad had to go to Dublin for a conference and he let me go with him since it was so close to the beginning of term and I wouldn't see him for a while. Well, he had to go to an afternoon meeting and a dinner after, so I wondered around Dublin by myself. When I stopped for tea in this little café, Ben was there. It's not that we were friends or that I liked him but I was sad and he noticed and tried to cheer me up. So… we hung out for a couple of hours before he asked me to go back to his aunts because he had forgotten something. I should have known then what he was really wanting." Nicolette shook her head disappointed with herself.

"Keep going," he said quietly.

"Well, when we got up there he offered me something to drink and well," she said timidly. "I was sad so I thought maybe something to drink would make me not so sad."

"Why were you sad," he asked her. His head was leaned back against the wall and his eyes were closed as he listened to what she said.

"I knew that I loved you and I didn't think I had a chance with you. I thought you saw me as the same kind of friend that Anne is," she said quietly. "I was heart broken. I drank what he offered and before I knew it, he was kissing me and I wasn't stopping him. He undressed himself first and then started to take my clothes off. I was just drunk enough to know what he was doing but not sober enough to stop him. If he hadn't prematurely taken care of things on his own… I don't know what would have happened. But that pulled me out of the fog and he passed out so I grabbed my clothes and ran." Nicolette had tears quietly streaming down her face. "I didn't mean for it to happen, I regretted every moment of it but I can't change it. All I can do is apologize and hope you forgive me."

"I forgive you," Oliver said as he looked down into Nicolette eyes. "It has never been about me forgiving you. It happened before we were together and with how we got together, I don't think that I will ever judge anyone on their relationship and how quickly they progress. What I don't know if I can forgive is the fact that you didn't tell me before hand. I had to find out about this at our wedding. I love you Nikki. I can forgive anything but if you can't trust me to tell me that you almost had sex or that there could be someone else who might think he's the father, then I don't know what we're doing."

Nicolette dropped her head to her chest; she didn't know if she could ever make up for what she has done to her friends.

"I do trust you," she told Oliver quietly. "I was scared of losing you; I wanted to pretend it didn't happen." Nicolette stood and turned to leave the alcove. "I lost you anyways, I'll always love you," she whispered before running out of the alcove and down the hall.

She needed to get to Gryffindor tower quickly. Maybe if she ran fast enough she could beat her friends there. She shouted the password as she approached the fat lady, pausing only long enough for the door to open before running through the common room and up the stairs to her dorm. As she threw herself onto her bed, the door opened and her roommates came in behind her.

"Nic," Anne said as she sat on the bed next to Nicolette. "Are you okay," she asked as she rubbed Nicolette's back in a comforting manner. "What did Oliver say?"

"Same thing you did," Nicolette said through her tears. "That if I can't trust him to tell him the truth then… he doesn't know what we are doing together."

Anne didn't know what to say to her friend, she looked up at Rebecca for help.

"Nic," Rebecca started not sure what to say either.

"Don't," Nicolette said as she turned to face her friends. "Don't say it. I know it's over… I just want to go to sleep and get on with my life."

Anne and Rebecca helped their friend climb under the covers before they turned down the lights and left her to sleep.

_A/N: Sorry the update too so long. So let me know what you thought._


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